


Guardian

by Aroomie



Series: Witcher Fic's [12]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher (Video Game), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types, Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Awesome Roach (The Witcher), BAMF Jaskier | Dandelion, Bottom Jaskier | Dandelion, Canon Divergence - Jaskier | Dandelion and Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon Find Each Other First, Creature Jaskier | Dandelion, Dragon Jaskier | Dandelion, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Fix-It of Sorts, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Apologizes, Hurt Jaskier | Dandelion, Hurt/Comfort, I'm Bad At Tagging, Insecure Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier | Dandelion Whump, Jaskier | Dandelion is Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon's Parent, Jaskier | Dandelion is Cirilla Fiona Riannon's Guardian, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pain, Post-Episode: S01E06 Rare Species, Protective Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Protective Jaskier | Dandelion, Roach is So Done (The Witcher), Roach is the Best (The Witcher), Sad, Sort Of, Tags May Change, Top Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Whump, destined mates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-24
Updated: 2020-08-28
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:27:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 23,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26078692
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aroomie/pseuds/Aroomie
Summary: All his life, Jaskier knew he was meant for something important. He couldn’t tell you what it was exactly what it was, what it would be when it would happen, but he just knew it would be life-changing.~~
Relationships: Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon & Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Other Relationship Tags to Be Added
Series: Witcher Fic's [12]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852585
Comments: 144
Kudos: 231





	1. .

**Author's Note:**

> I blame Mimi for all of my Witcher Fics... Honestly, woman, I love and hate you. <3

The moment he met Geralt of Rivia, he knew that the Witcher was his, he knew that he needed to follow the man no matter where he went, he just needed to convince the Witcher of that. The first thing Jaskier felt at the betrothal feast was contentment, having Geralt there with his with the princess, everything felt right and the bard practically vibrated out of his skin with excitement when Geralt called the Law of Surprise and suddenly it was learned that the Surprise took shape of a child. Geralt growled and left Jaskier behind then, but the bard found he couldn't care much at that moment, a sense of belonging washing over him.

Jaskier truly believed he was making progress with Geralt when he found him again, until the djinn, until when he saw his other half-pressing himself against the witch who "saved his life", and a part of him shattered. That was the first time he felt the stabbing pain in his chest. 

Jaskier spent every winter away from Geralt in Cintra, knowing the princess, knowing the scary Lion that ruled, and soon he became a normal feature to be in the city during the winters, even more so after the young princess Cirilla was born. As soon as she was able, she clung to Jaskier like he was her second father. 

When Jaskier found Geralt again and they traveled together for a few days, then the old man approached the pair to request they join him on a dragon hunt, Jaskier immediately knew something bad was about to happen. Jaskier and the old man, Borch as he introduced himself as stared at one another for a long time, they both knew what they were and Jaskier knew that the task asked of Geralt was an important one. If only the witch didn't show up…

Jaskier did everything he could to talk to Geralt, keep the Witcher calm, with the Sorceress around the Witcher was a mix of feelings and his priorities blurred. The night Geralt disappeared into the woman's tent, Jaskier felt that same stabbing pain in his chest but he tried his best to ignore it, busying himself with composing and sorting lyrics. 

Jaskier knew when they left, he knew Geralt thought he was still asleep and they still fucking left, and Jaskier just laid there for a long time before sitting up and staring off in the direction they had left in and just stayed there. Jaskier watched as they all filed back down the path when the battle was over and Jaskier finally moved from his place on the ground, moving to approach Geralt but stopped when the Sorceress was practically on his arm and Jaskier stopped and just watched as the couple was approached by Borch for the old man to thank them. 

Then everything exploded. 

Jaskier stared in shock as Yennefer and Geralt started to scream at each other, Jaskier could hear the words Borch had said, listened to the explosion after the old man spoke, and Jaskier watched as Yennefer stormed off before teleporting herself away. Jaskier gave Borch a curious look but the old man nodded towards Geralt and gave a reassuring nod and the bard stepped forward. 

"Well, that was--"

"Damnit, Jaskier!" Geralt snapped, turning towards Jaskier. Borch, standing off to the side, had his eyes widen in surprise. 

"Why is it whenever I find myself in a pile of shit, it's you, shoveling it!!" Geralt yelled and Jaskier took a small step back like he was struck. 

"That's not fair…" Was all he could say and Geralt growled.

"If life could give me one blessing," Jaskier's eyes widened, giving a small shake to his head as he stared in horror. "It would be to take you," Geralt pointed at the bard. "off my hands!" Geralt spun back around to look at the mountains, glaring at the trees decorating the hillsides. 

"Right. Well, I'll just…" Jaskier licked his lips, looking to the side. "I'll get the rest of the story from the others, then." Jaskier stared at Geralt's back, frowning hard as his eyes began to fill with tears.

"See you around, Geralt." Jaskier stared at Geralt's back for a few seconds longer, hoping the Witcher would at least turn to look at him, but when Geralt made no move Jaskier covered his eyes with one hand and quickly left. Borch quickly went after him, pulling the young bard to a stop and wrapping his arms around him. 

The old dragon held onto Jaskier as the bard clutched his chest with one hand while the other covered his eyes, his head buried against the old dragon's chest while Borch rubbed a comforting hand across his back and whispered quiet apologies and soft encouragements while the bard sobbed. 

"It will get better, little hatchling. Give it time." Borch whispered into Jaskier's ear and the bard let out a wet laugh.

"I don't have the time it will take him." Jaskier smiled sadly at the old dragon and Borch frowned when he looked down at Jaskier opened the front of his doublet and shirt and saw the angry red lines spreading across the young bard's chest from over his heart.

"He's your…" Borch's eyes darted to Jaskier's face and the bard just smiled at him as he did up his top and pulled away.

"I have… I am able to still do one thing with my life." Jaskier looked over to where Geralt was still standing. "I still have to protect the girl. I can survive that long, I hope." Borch frowned still as Jaskier spoke, the bard smiling still as he wiped at his face and cleaned it best he could of his tears. 

"Good luck, young hatchling. I hope for the best for you." Borch said and Jaskier smiled.

"Good luck with your own new hatchling. I hope to see them one day." Jaskier smiled still and Borch could see the desire to act normal like everything was fine, and he gave a nod.

"Of course. We will have to visit." Jaskier laughed quietly, fighting back more tears and bowed at the waist to Borch before quickly taking his leave of the old dragon's company. 

When Jaskier reached the bottom of the mountain and saw Roach, the pain in his chest intensified and he quickly went over to the mare and hugged her around the neck. The mare seemed confused for a moment before cluing into something being wrong, gently bumping her nose against his back before curling her head around his back and hugging him the best she could. 

Jaskier stayed like that for a long time before the voice in his head "don't touch roach" made him snap back and let out a wet sob while smiling at Roach and gently stroked the mare's nose while fishing out the last sugar cube from his pocket and giving it to her.

"Take care of him for me, Roach. Try and get him in to take a bath now and then, hmm?" Jaskier smiled and continued to rub at Roach's nose for a long time.

"What have I told you, bard?" Jaskier froze at the voice and frowned. Damnit, he's spent too long with Borch and Roach, now Geralt was there.

"Sorry, Geralt." Jaskier pulled back, shouldering his lute care to be more comfortable then walked down to Roach's side and fished through the saddlebags.

"What are you doing?" Jaskier glanced at Geralt, the Witcher staring at the bard on confusion as he pulled out the smaller bag he had to bully Geralt into letting him put it in Roach's saddlebags.

"Isn't it obvious?" Geralt just frowned hard at his words and Jaskier sighed, looking in his bag to check its contents before shouldering it. 

"I am taking myself off your hands, Geralt. Not to worry, Destiny will finish the work for you later." Jaskier said cheerily and Geralt rolled his eyes.

"Don't be fucking dramatic, Bard." Geralt growled and Jaskier just smiled at him as the Witcher shoved a couple of things into the saddlebags and mounted Roach. When the Witcher turned the mare away, Jaskier remained still, rooted to the spot, and watched as Geralt got further and further away. He wasn't surprised when Geralt didn’t turn around, the Witcher just assumed that life would return to like it was, but the damage was done, it was festering in the bard's breast and now slowly going to kill him. 

Jaskier continued to watch until the moment Geralt disappeared from view, he then quickly turned to the left and just walked. He would head to Cintra, he was useful there, and he would be until he couldn’t anymore. 

~~~~

"Should we stop at the Tavern for the night?" Geralt asked Jaskier but when he received no answer, he slowed Roach to a stop and looked over his shoulder.

"Jaskier?" Geralt looked further behind him, meeting nothing but air and he frowned. Listening closely he couldn't even hear him, couldn't scent him. Geralt frowned hard and quickly pulled Roach about and headed back but when he reached where he had left Jaskier, assuming the bard would just follow, there was nothing. 

Geralt felt like the air was punched from his lungs. Jaskier was gone.


	2. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The fuck kind of books do they make you read!?" He squeaked and Ciri laughed, smiling at him.
> 
> "I take it the book is wrong?" She poked his cheek and Jaskier nodded so hard it looked like it hurt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... I don't actually know how many chapters this is going to be.. .XD But... I'll just throw in a 20 there because that seems to be the "normal" for me ATM. *nods*

Jaskier spent every waking hour with Ciri outside of her mandatory lessons, always showing the girl some trick or another to help pay attention if she was bored or couldn't focus, she was too wild of a child, too adventurous. Jaskier smiled at her, seeing so much of Geralt in her even though she wasn't his actual child. 

"Ciri, I want to tell you something," Jaskier said one day while they sat in the gardens, watching as the princess plucked at his lute experimentally. Her bright green eyes bounced from the strings to him and she smiled, curious. 

"You sound awfully serious, Jaskier." She teased but when Jaskier didn't report as he normally would, Ciri put the lute down entirely and gave him her full attention.

"I've stayed at court here for a few years now, always with you. Do you know why?" Jaskier asked and Ciri shook her head with a small shrug.

"You enjoy my company?" She guessed and Jaskier laughed softly.

"Partially. Tell me, my darling one, what do you know about dragons?" Jaskier prodded and Ciri tilted her head to the side as she made a thinking humming noise.

"Well… I know that they are territorial, there is a book in the library that says how they burned down villages and ate the people just because they could, and that they demand a sacrifice if a village is in their territory but doesn't want to get attacked." Ciri looked at Jaskier and the bard had an expression of grotesque horror.

"The fuck kind of books do they make you read!?" He squeaked and Ciri laughed, smiling at him.

"I take it the book is wrong?" She poked his cheek and Jaskier nodded so hard it looked like it hurt.

"Sweet Melitele is it!" Jaskier exclaimed and Ciri laughed again, motioning her hands out towards him.

"Then please, by all means, oh wise one, regale me with your knowledge." Ciri made a mock bow and Jaskier laughed at her ridiculousness. 

"Your grandmother is going to kill me the more you we hang out, you're starting to act like me." Jaskier teased and the princess giggled.

"I shall take that as a compliment." Ciri smiled widely and Jaskier ruffled her hair playfully. He motioned for her to turn and pulled her back into his lap, carding his fingers threw her ashen-hair as he started talking. 

"Dragons are, normally, of a regal bloodline. They don't kill unless they have to defend themselves or their young, even then they don't really try to kill, more just cripple. Unless they're particularly stubborn." Jaskier separated sections to Ciri's hair and began to braid it, making three smaller ones before winding those with a larger one with the rest of her hair. "Some dragons even receive a gift." 

"A gift?" Ciri tilted her head and Jaskier pushed her head back straight with his fingertips while holding her hair.

"Yes, a gift. A privilege, really." Jaskier smiled as he tied off the end of the braid and fished out the small handheld mirror he had taken to carrying with him when with her and held it out for her to take. "They get to protect something special." 

When Ciri tilted the mirror up to look at the braid Jaskier put in her hair, she sucked in a sharp breath and smacked the mirror back down into her lap and stared out in front of her.

"Special?" She asked, her voice quiet.

"Special. World-changing." Jaskier spoke softly, staring at the back of Ciri's head. He could see her shaking and watched as she lifted the mirror again, staring past her reflection to him. His reflection revealing a large dragon maw instead of a human bard and Ciri sucked in a breath.

"And you…?" Ciri put the mirror down and turned to look at Jaskier, almost disappointed to see the human bard sitting there.

"You are mine to protect, Cirilla. Even if Destiny did not make it so, I would still protect you." Jaskier smiled. "You are a smart, cunning, delightful young woman, and it has been my privilege to know you." Jaskier bowed his head and Ciri stared wide-eyed at him before flinging herself at him and hugging him tightly.

"Why are you telling me this? Why now?" Ciri spoke with a small tremble to her voice and Jaskier had to blink away his own tears as he hugged her tightly to him, running a hand over her hair.

"There are whispers, something big, and I need you to know that I will protect you." Jaskier pressed a kiss to her hair as he held her. "I needed you to know what I look like, just in case, so you would not run." 

Ciri nodded quickly, pressing herself closer to him and Jaskier smiled sadly as he just held onto her. He would tell her the rest later… Much later. 

~~~~

Geralt would never admit it, but as he looked for work he also looked for the bard. It annoyed Geralt to no end how much he missed that annoying man, the way he fussed over the Witcher if he was wounded or how he pushed him into a bath, the way he cooed to Roach when he thought Geralt wasn't looking. 

Geralt sighed, wiping werewolf blood from his blade after taking the trophy for proof of the kill, then placed his forefinger and thumb to his lips and whistled sharply. He hoped Roach was in a better mood today, ever since Jaskier left she's been temperamental. Choosing if she would come to his call or not, she even went as far as trying to bite his hand when he was going to take her bit out.

Much to his relief, Roach came stomping threw the bush not soon after he called for her and waited impatiently for him to get a move on, stomping her hoofs against the ground and swinging her head at her back in a show of "get the fuck on already" and Geralt sighed as he walked over and fastened the head to the saddle. 

"I said I would find him, alright?" Geralt snipped at Roach and the mare stared at him for a long second then started walking without Geralt and the Witcher let out an annoyed huff.

"Roach, Come on!" Geralt threw his hands out and Roach kicked up one of her back legs and tried to kick him, the Witcher quickly sidestepping the hoof and sighed.

"Alright, alright. I'm sorry, okay? I will find him." Roach stopped walking away at those words, looking back at Geralt and pulled her upper lip back, and made a rude noise at him but didn't start walking again until the Witcher was on her back again.

When Geralt got back to town, collected his poor excuse of payment, and now sad himself down in a tavern for a drink, his golden eyes locked onto a table nearby. Men whispering about the Nilfguard army moving towards Cintra, that the city was outnumbered a hundred to one and that they didn't stand a chance. 

Geralt closed his eyes and growled quietly to himself. It seems the hunt for his bard needed to be put on hold for now, he needed to go check on his fucking Child of Surprise. 

~~~~

Jaskier was playing at one of the banquets the Lion of Cintra held, as per usual, playing any and all songs that were not about the White Wolf or anything Witcher related. It wasn't until late in the evening when Ciri was dancing with one of the other nobles and Jaskier had taken a break, that the bard noticed the whispering rolling through the court. His eyes jumping to Mousesack as the Druid approached him quickly.

"A moment, bard?" The druid spoke urgently and Jaskier nodded, the two of them slipping into the hall just outside the festivities. 

"What can I do for you, dear Mousesack?" Jaskier asked cheerily but the stern look on the Druid's face made Jaskier frown. 

"I know what you are," Mousesack said and Jaskier moved to walk away but was stopped by a hand on his arm. "I know what you are," He repeated. "And I know why you are here." Jaskier narrowed his gaze on the old Druid.

"You are tasked to protect the princess?" Jaskier gave a small nod and the Druid let out a shaky breath. "Good, good… Do not leave her side in the coming days." Jaskier frowned, staring at the Druid. 

"So soon…?" Jaskier asked quietly, Mousesack nodded.

"I'm afraid so." Jaskier sighed heavily at the words, looking towards the door. Jaskier saw that Mousesack was about to say something else but the bard cut him off with a sharp intake of breath and doubled over, landing hard on his knees as he clutched at his chest and struggled to breathe.

"Jaskier!" Mousesake hissed and knelt next to him, taking him through his breathing and telling him to calm. Jaskier was out of it and the Druid pushed him back, undoing his doublet and shirt to see what caused the sudden behavior and the Druid's eyes widened as he saw the spiderweb-like red lines crawling across Jaskier's chest.

"You--" Jaskier slapped the Druids hands away, breathing more calmly as he redid his tops. Opening his eyes to stare at Mousesack, the skeptical look in the Druid's eyes made Jaskier almost angry.

"I have plenty of time left… Time to get her to the Witcher." Jaskier said and Mousesack scoffed.

"You truly believe he will take her? He never claimed her to begin with." Jaskier could feel the anger pouring off of the Druid at his words and Jaskier shook his head.

"Geralt will take her. The moment they see one another, Geralt will understand what he needs to do." Jaskier closed his eyes and let his head tip back slightly as he took another deep breath before standing, looking as he always had, like the episode never happened.

"Come, if we are gone for any longer, people will start talking." Jaskier sashayed his hips teasingly and Mousesack rolled his eyes, opening his arm in motion for Jaskier to go first and the bard threw him a wink while walking past and slipped back into the hall. 

~~~~

Geralt was too late, again. 

The Witcher stared in horror as Cintra was engulfed by flames, Roach dancing side to side in her nerves and Geralt gently patted her neck. If he thought hard about it, he could still feel a bond to his Child of Surprise, he knew she was alive, he just had to find her. 

Geralt was about to urge Roach towards the city, if he was lucky he would find her there still, but Roach stopped and reared back with a loud neigh as a deafening roar broke threw the air and Geralt watched as large black wings spread out from the flames. Wings beating at the air and pulling a large black body from the fire and into the air, fire pouring from its maw before it turned and went north. 

If Geralt looked close enough, he could see something blue, a cloak? Nestled in the crook of its neck and Geralt's eyes went wide. Did Nilfguard somehow get their hands on a dragon? No, that would almost be impossible, but something deep in his gut told Geralt that the blue spot he could barely see on the dragon was his Child Surprise.

He needed to hunt that dragon.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What about you?"
> 
> "What about me?" 
> 
> "Why do you protect me as you do? Did you call the Law of Surprise too?" Ciri asked and Jaskier's body vibrated again in laughter.
> 
> "No, little cub, I did not. I was born to protect you. My destiny was tied to yours long before you were even born." Jaskier said and Ciri made a small noise in the back of her throat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently... I have fun with Dragon Jaskier fics... XD

The night they brought Ciri's grandmother back to the castle wounded, Jaskier could smell the death on her and he gave a look to Mousesack who nodded. They had brought Ciri to see her, to say goodbye, and that was when the princess was told about Geralt by her grandmother and not the small hints Jaskier had given her out of the Lioness' earshot. That was the first display of the princess' powers, being told she needed to run but nothing more frustrated the girl, Jaskier understood that, and he grabbed her shoulders gently while pulling her back.

"Listen, Ciri." He spoke softly in her ear. "We spoke of this, its time to leave." Jaskier held her tighter when Ciri tried to go back to her grandmother.

"But…" Ciri sobbed out and Jaskier grabbed hold of the blue cloak being brought in by one of the guards and wrapped it tightly around the girl's shoulders. 

"Go, Cirilla." Her grandmother said and Ciri let out a choked sob, rushing to her grandmother and hugging her tightly for the last time before Mousesack pulled her out of the room.

"Bard." Jaskier paused at the door, following the pair out, and looked back at the Lioness. "Look after her. However, you can." Jaskier smiled to her and bowed deeply at the waist, flourishing his arms out.

"On my honor, your majesty." Jaskier looked back at the queen, a small smile on his lips and her eyes widened at the slit of the bard's pupils. A display on his part for his seriousness in his role to protect the princess, the Lioness gave a shaky smile and nodded to him, jerking her head for him to go after Cirilla and Jaskier ran for Ciri as soon as he was dismissed. Mousesack moved quickly, already outside and pushing the princess onto a horse. 

Jaskier watched as soldiers and mages attacked the city, archers firing at Ciri and the horse. The stallion reared back when an arrow found home in its hindquarters and Mousesack had to jump under the princess to keep her from getting too hurt from the fall and Jaskier hissed in anger. He shoved the bags he had picked up along the way, and of course his fucking lute, at Ciri and shoved her towards Mousesack. 

"Get going!" He yelled and Mousesack took hold of Ciri's hand and pulled her along while Jaskier turned towards the group of archers and mages that came around the corner, the troop readying their arrows and fire and Jaskier shook his head. 

"You don't want to do that." Jaskier waggled a finger at them. They all shared a look before one soldier snarled and let loose his arrow, the rest of the troop following suit while the mages threw their magic at him. Jaskier sighed quietly and quickly crouched, covering his head with his arms, while the back of his shirt ripped open and two large golden wings spilled from his back and covered him. When the smoke cleared from the fire, Jaskier stood and stretched his wings looking bored at the troop. 

"Do you have _any idea_ how expensive this top was!?" Jaskier growled, his body slowly changing, his clothes ripping open, bones snapping and shifting, and the troop stared in horror as soon a large golden scaled dragon was standing in front of them. Jaskier's large maw opened and snapped just in front of them and the archers ran away screaming but the mages decided to test their might and began casting at him. 

Jaskier roared when the magical flame engulfed his body, but one easy swipe from his wings and it was gone, soot and ash rising from the ground and covering his scales just as he took a large breath and threw his own fire at the mages, the group screaming as their skin melted from their bones. Jaskier looked about before turning quickly and moved in the direction Mousesack took Ciri, pausing in his step as he came across Mousesack face down in the mud and Jaskier shook his head, looking around for Ciri.

"Jaskier?!" His large head spun around at the timid voice and Jaskier was filled with relief as Ciri came out from behind a group of barrels.

"Princess." Jaskier's voice breathed in her head and she smiled widely and ran over, hugging his leg. "Sorry, I'm filthy." Jaskier's voice rumbled and Ciri shook her head. 

"It's okay. You're still you." She smiled up at him, her soot-covered cheeks stained with tear tracks and Jaskier gently bumped his nose against hers. 

"Is that so? Does the soot suit me?" Jaskier asked, preening under her gaze and Ciri giggled weakly at his stupidity. "Come, we need to go." Jaskier dipped his head down and curved his neck, helping Ciri climb up his leg and onto his back, taking the bags from Ciri and holding them in his claws now.

"Hold tight and cover your eyes." Jaskier said and spread his wings out wide and jumped, his wings beating against the air and kicking up clouds of dust and ash. Ciri tucked herself as close to his neck as she could, hiding in the hood of her cloak to keep from inhaling too much of the ash. Jaskier made a noise just as the broke threw the cloud of ash, and Ciri looked up to see an arrow sticking out from his shoulder and she yelped staring up at Jaskier as he turned his head and opened his maw, fire pouring out across his tongue and scorching the archers below before he angled his body and they flew off north.

~~~~

They were in the air for half an hour before Ciri was brave enough to speak, watching as the clouds went by.

"Where are we going?" She asked, unsure if Jaskier would be able to hear her.

"To find Geralt." Jaskier's voice echoed in her head and Ciri huffed.

"Grandmother said I had to find him, but why?" She prodded and Jaskier's body vibrated with a low growl.

"You remember when I told you about your parent's betrothal?" Jaskier asked and Ciri muttered a soft 'yes'. "Geralt saved your father's life and in return, the Witcher asked for the Law of Surprise as payment when your father wouldn't let him walk away unrewarded." Ciri listened carefully, gnawing her lower lip. 

"What about you?"

"What about me?" 

"Why do you protect me as you do? Did you call the Law of Surprise too?" Ciri asked and Jaskier's body vibrated again in laughter.

"No, little cub, I did not. I was born to protect you. My destiny was tied to yours long before you were even born." Jaskier said and Ciri made a small noise in the back of her throat.

"So… That would make you my dad too, huh?" She said offhandedly and Jaskier's wings bent at a funny angle, making them 'trip' in the air and Ciri yelped while Jaskier corrected them.

"I'm sorry, what now?" Jaskier looked over his shoulder at her, brow ridges lifted high and eye wide. 

"Well, I mean, if you think about it…" Ciri started, holding tight to the spines that decorated along Jaskier's neck. "You exist for me, right? You made things happen, brought Geralt to my parent's betrothal so he could save my father. Without you, I wouldn't be here. Not to mention all those winters you were there to help raise me." Ciri said, smiling as she traced her hand across Jaskier's scales, in awe at how soft the felt. Jaskier looked back ahead of them, a low noise in the back of his throat. His chest felt warm, full, the pain dulling slightly, and he smiled to himself. 

"Let us set down." Jaskier said suddenly, off-topic, and Ciri nodded as the dragon angled down and dove into the trees. Jaskier landed less than graceful as he normally would, the pain in his chest and a sudden burning in his shoulder made him off balance and caused him to stumble. Ciri looked at him funny but he shook his head, using the excuse of not using that form for a very long time, the princess shrugged and fished about in the bags Jaskier had given her and pulled out a waterskin, taking long pulls from it. 

She offered a drink to Jaskier but he smiled and shook his head, saying he would find a river and when asked why he wouldn't just change back he said simply: "My clothes were ripped when I transformed." and Ciri's cheeks turned a bright shade of red, making Jaskier laugh out loud. 

Jaskier watched as the princess slept in the crook of his legs, finding it to be the most comfortable and warm, a small smile on his face till the pain in his chest intensified and he whined. Laying his head down, he curled around the princess, keeping her warm and safe as he watched the snowfall. Winter would be soon, Geralt might be headed towards Kaer Morhen by now, a perfect place to take Cirir if what Geralt had told him about the keep was true. 

Jaskier closed his eyes, ignoring the throbbing in his chest in favor of nuzzling closely to Ciri and trying to find sleep.

~~~~

Geralt followed any tail of the dragon for days. Stopping only long enough for Roach to rest properly before setting off again. Winter was coming, fast, and if Geralt wanted to get to Kaer Morhen before the pass was blocked he needed to find that dragon within the next week. 

The scent of dragon got stronger one day and Geralt stumbled across a camp of sorts. His brow lifting as he investigated the small fire pit made and rabbit bones picked clean, but there was something off about the dragon's scent, something sick. Geralt looked around again, checking for tracks, he found a set of smaller feet -his Child Surprise- and one large clawed paw. Geralt stared at the pattern of the paw for a while tilting his head slightly when suddenly Roach was grunting and making noises of excitement, drawing Geralt's attention. 

Roach had wandered over across the camp, nudging at familiar fabric, and Geralt quickly snatched it up. The sleeve of a doublet that still smelt so strongly of Jaskier and Geralt felt something unravel from his chest before it tightened again. Jaskier was with Ciri and the dragon? Did the dragon hurt him? Was he alright? 

Geralt flipped the fabric about in his hands, a crumpled slip of paper within the folds and he pulled it out. The edges were burnt, the parchment stained black, but as Geralt moved his thumb across it, the soot moved away to show a drawing of the mountains. Geralt rubbed a little bit more and smiled to himself as the letters "KM" were written in the top edge. 

Jaskier was somehow going to take Ciri to Kaer Morhen? Geralt looked up at his surroundings, finally acknowledging where he was, then looked back down at the fabric in his hand. He stuffed the sleeve and paper into Roach's saddlebag and quickly mounted, ushering the mare forward, if he hurried Geralt might be able to catch them.

He would apologize, he would tell the bard how wrong he was, how alone he was without him, how much of a bitch Roach was being without him. Geralt felt his heartbeat speed up with the idea of finally finding the bard and he took that moment to think about what it meant.

When he sees Yennefer, the woman is like a whirlwind, drawing him in even without the wish that binds them, but with Jaskier… Jaskier is like going home, or finding that perfect missing ingredient for one of his potions to make is stronger, the perfect combination of chamomile spruce. Geralt pulled Roach to a stop and the mare scowled at him. 

"Roach… Do…" Geralt looked at the mare. "Do I love Jaskier?" Roach rolled her eyes and shook her head as if congratulating her stupid rider at finally solving the mystery. Geralt frowned hard as Roach continued without his command, letting him stew in his ponderings while walking the familiar path into the mountains. 

~~~~

"Jaskier, please tell me what's wrong." Ciri pleaded, watching as Jaskier twisted his body about and tried pulling at the shoulder of his front left leg that he now held up most of the time and rarely used. 

"Don't worry, Ciri. It'll be alright." Jaskier's voice sounded funny in her head and she frowned at him, shaking her head.

"You're lying." Jaskier's head snapped up, looking at her. "You're not telling me what's wrong because it's… It's…" Ciri's eyes began to fill with tears and Jaskier was there quickly, gently bumping his nose against her cheek and wrapping his neck around her.

"I'm sorry, little cub. I'm sorry." Jaskier said, hushing her before she could start crying too much. Ciri curled herself as best she could around his neck, hugging him tightly. 

"You're right… I'm not okay." Ciri clung tighter. "But do not think it is your fault, alright?" Jaskier used the tip of his tongue to lick her face, making her smile. 

"But you were shot with arrows…" Ciri frowned and Jaskier gave a low hum.

"Yes, I was. They were poisoned, the moment they heard my roar as a dragon, they changed their arrows, any other day I would have easily been able to fight off the poison." Ciri looked up at Jaskier and frowned.

"I don't understand." She whined and Jaskier smiled, gently pushing her back from his neck and lifting his body so she could see his pale underbelly. She wiped away at the soot there, Jaskier apparently refusing to bathe because his scales would be too shiny otherwise, and gasped then she wiped away enough to reveal bright angry spiderweb-like veins crawling across his scales. 

"What is that?!" She cried out, stepping back enough so she could look at Jaskier properly.

"That is rejection." Jaskier said simply. "Every dragon has a mate, our instincts tell us who they are and we can either ignore them and find another to share our life with, or…" Jaskier looked down. "We can try to have our mate choose us. They must choose us out of love from their own hearts, no manipulations, no coaxing, nothing." Jaskier looked back at Ciri, the girl openly crying now and Jaskier smiled sadly. "If our mate rejects us… It festers. Spreading throughout our bodies, killing us." Ciri shook her head, trying to wipe away her tears. 

"Hey… It's not so bad." Jaskier smiled, gently bumping her again. "I got to see you grow, my little cub. I got to live alongside my mate, even if he didn't realize it, and live a good human life." Ciri shook her head, crying harder.

"It's not fair! I want more time! I need more!" She wrapped her arms around Jaskier's nose, hugging him tight as she cried and Jaskier closed his eyes.

"Very few things are fair, my little cub. Once we find Geralt, you will be safe." Ciri clung to him for a while longer before finally releasing her hold on him, frowning hard as she stared at him.

"It's him, isn't it. Your mate." Jaskier's head tilted slightly. "Geralt. He's your mate." Jaskier stared at Ciri for a long time before letting out a huffed breath and closed his eyes.

"For one so young, you are awfully observant. Yes, Geralt is my mate, but he has made it very clear where I stand." Jaskier looked back at Ciri. "He also has his Sorceress love, he has no need of me." Ciri shook her head hard and returned to clinging to his neck, holding on for dear life. 

"I need you! I do!" Jaskier curled himself around the girl, pressing her against his neck as he closed his eyes.

"My darling cub. You have no idea how much you help already with your words, keeping me strong for you, to get you somewhere you'll be safe." Jaskier gently nudged her shoulder. "Eat, my cub, then sleep. Tomorrow is the last day before we reach your new home." 

Jaskier tried his best to smile for Ciri as the girl pulled away from him and grabbed the dear meat from where it cooked over a fire, the girl crawling back into the fold of Jaskier's legs as she ate, refusing to be parted from the dragon. Jaskier smiled better this time, laying his head down while Ciri ate and closed his eyes. 

He was so tired.


	4. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You threw him away like he meant nothing! You rejected his love for you and now…! Now…!" Ciri started crying, hard, trying to wipe away her tears as they fell and all the Witcher's felt at a loss to what they should do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... Yep... *drops and runs*

The more days that blurred together, the more Geralt felt his hope dwindle. He waited along the path leading to Kaer Morhen for as long as he could, but with no sign of the bard or the Child Surprise, Geralt had to make a decision. He packed up Roach and headed up the path, maybe they took a different route and stumbled on the road further up? Maybe they were already there somehow? Geralt went through as many options as he could, walking alongside Roach until a familiar voice drew his attention. 

"Look what the snow pushed out!" Geralt rolled his eyes at Lambert's choice of words. "Eskel, Look who it is!" Geralt approached his brothers, smirking as he completely bypassed Lambert who had his arms open for a hug and went right to Eskel who pulled Geralt into a tight embrace. 

"Hey!" Lambert squawked.

"Teach you to not be such a prick." Geralt growled and Eskel laughed, patting the wolfs back gently but his smile fell when he looked at Geralt's face.

"Damn, who pissed in your oats this morning?" Eskel asked and Geralt grunted an un-humored laugh. 

"Take your pick." Geralt motioned for them to continue up the mountain, continuing to talk. 

"Destiny is a bitch. I gained a Child of Surprise," His brothers nodded, hearing this story before. "Who I don't even know if is alive anymore other then this… Gut feeling that says they are. Cintra was attacked by Nilfguard." Lambert and Eskel frowned. "Yennefer has vanished, no idea how to get in touch with her." His brothers roll their eyes. 

"What about your bard?" Lambert asked and Geralt froze in place, eyes stuck to the ground as his mouth opened and closed, trying to find words. His brothers looked at him with worry when what little color was on the Witcher's face drained.

"He… Ah… I don't…" Geralt tried to talk, biting the inside of his cheek, and moved to Roach's saddlebags to pull out the sleeve with the parchment and gave it to Lambert. 

"What's this? It's black." Lambert said with a frown and Eskel peeked at the paper with a lifted brow.

"It has a drawing of the mountains, these mountains, with "KM" written in the corner… That's a sleeve from Jaskier's doublet." Geralt said and Eskel made a noise.

"What are you talking about, Geralt? This page has nothing on it. It's completely black." Geralt's brow pinched and took the page form, Lambert, staring down at the drawing. He then took the parchment in hand and ripped. Their medallions humming violently as the drawing turned into a puff of smoke and vanished. Geralt's eyes were wide as he looked back at his brothers, their expressions mirroring his.

"What, the ever-loving fuck?" Lambert said as he looked at Eskel, the other wolf shaking his head then looked at the sleeve in Lamberts hold. He took it and grabbed the seam, ripping it but nothing happened and Geralt suddenly felt anger boiling in his stomach and snatched the sleeve from Eskel's hands and cradled it against his chest.

"Okay… So, the magic was only on the parchment… Which means that someone did it for him, someone with a great deal of power if it didn't make our medallions take notice." Eskel said, watching as Geralt looked over the damage on the ripped sleeve as if he was debating on if he could fix it. 

"Which means that your bard might be trying to get to Kaer Morhen on his own?" Lambert asked and Eskel gave a small nod. "Well, that's a death wish if I ever saw one." Geralt growled at Lambert who then held up his hands in surrender. "Unless he somehow got there ahead of the snow I mean!" 

Geralt stared at Lambert for a moment longer before dropping his gaze back to the fabric in his hands, fussing over it as he started walking again. Lambert and Eskel both kept an eye on him, his behavior completely different than usual, sort of like when Yennefer leaves him high and dry, but now he was fussing over the bard he constantly bitched about. 

They kept a good pace, stopping only twice along the way to eat and give their horses a rest, they reached the keep in three days. The third day full of embraces from their mentor and a surprise guest, Coen from the Griffin School, but a welcomed distraction as they all chatted while pulling their horses towards the stables. 

It wasn't till Coen went ridged, nose to the air, that the wolves noticed something had changed. The smell of something rotten, yet sweet, drifted across the air and they all looked at one another. Coen, Lambert, and Geralt drawing their swords as Vesemir and Eskel quickly pulled the horses into the stables. 

Coen's head quickly turned and he snarled, the other two turning in time to see a large black shadow looming over them. Geralt's eyes went wide as he recognized the dragon coming into view, the same one from Cintra, he growled and gripped the hilt of his sword tighter, ready for anything. 

What he wasn't ready for, however, was the sudden free-falling person that _jumped_ from the dragons back. Geralt recognized that blue and immediately dropped his sword and caught said person in the cloak, staring wide-eyed as the hood fell back and a very messy young girl stared back at him. 

~~~~

"Jaskier. Jaskier? Jaskier!" Jaskier's eyes popped open, looking at the frantic girl next to him.

"What? What happened?" He asked and Ciri let out a wet sob in relief.

"You weren't waking up." She said and Jaskier frowned. He looked down at himself, running his talons across his chest and checked the markings, they were angrier, more prominent. He was running out of time.

"Ciri, we need to go. I need to make sure you are safe before…" Jaskier's voice trailed off, and Ciri frowned hard but nodded as she looked at him.

"Can we… Can we leave a clue behind? For Geralt?" Jaskier watched Ciri for along time before giving a small nod. 

"In the bags, there is a red doublet, rip a sleeve off." Jaskier said. "And bring me a piece of parchment." Ciri nodded and got to work, putting parchment in front of Jaskier before getting to work on ripping the sleeve from the doublet. Jaskier stared down at the small piece of paper for a long time before speaking something in elder and blowing a small puff of flame on it, turning the white page black. When Ciri came over with the sleeve, Jaskier spoke again.

"Put the parchment inside the sleeve then leave it anywhere. If Geralt finds it, he will know to look more closely." Jaskier watched as Ciri flipped the parchment around in her fingers, tilting her head before shoving it in the sleeve and throwing it to the other side of camp. 

"How will he know? It's all black." Ciri said and Jaskier smiled as he helped her climb onto his back, gathering up the bags in his paw. 

"It's enchanted. Only he can read it." Jaskier said and Ciri made a small "oh" noise. "I can't take off from here, so we will need to find a larger clearing." Jaskier noted and Ciri nodded in agreement before Jaskier stood and limped through the trees. 

"Does your shoulder hurt?" Ciri asked after an hour of walking and Jaskier just smiled. 

"Not that much anymore." He said and Ciri frowned.

"That's not a good sign, is it." It wasn't a question, but Jaskier answered her anyway.

"No, my little cub. No, it's not." His voice was quiet and Ciri hugged his neck harder, clinging to him as she held back her tears. 

"You're my dad." Ciri announced a little while later and Jaskier paused, looking back at her. "You raised me, every winter, you were there. You stayed and protected me when Cintra was attacked, when…" Ciri trailed off, frowning and wiping away tears. She looked at his face. "You're my dad." Jaskier smiled the best he could without scaring the girl with all his teeth and gently bumped his nose against her head.

"As you are my cub, Cirilla." Ciri smiled wetly at his words, nodding hard, and Jaskier looked forward again and continued walking. He hated he will have to leave the poor girl, but she will be in good hands with Geralt. The Witcher will protect her. 

Jaskier found a drop off into a valley and he scented the air, nodding once he was confident, then took a running start that made Ciri squeal in delight. He jumped, spread his wings, and they were air born. Jaskier tilted his wings ever so slightly, beating them against the current if they dropped too low, and soon Jaskier smiled as he dipped down.

"Almost there, little cub." Ciri looked over his shoulder at his words, an awed "wow" leaving her as the ruins of the keep came into view. As they got closer, Jaskier felt his wings straining and he winced, the muscles locking and making their flight jerky.

"What's going on?" Ciri asked, clinging tightly to Jaskier. 

"Ciri… Can you see the keep?" Jaskier asked, his voice sounded funny.

"Yes." She said after leaning over his shoulder again, looking down. "I can see people headed into the courtyard." Jaskier let out shaky breath.

"Can you see if any have white hair?" Jaskier asked and Ciri squinted to try and see better. 

"Yes. Yes, I think so." She sat back up and Jaskier let out a noise that Ciri had never heard before.

"Ciri, that's Geralt. When I tell you, you need to jump off." Ciri yelped loudly. 

"Excuse me!? I am not doing that, dad!" Jaskier laughed weakly. 

"I can't land safely. Geralt will catch you, I promise." Ciri frowned, clinging to Jaskier tightly but the dragon shook his shoulders gently. 

"Jump, Ciri." She wiggled herself to his shoulder and frowned, looking down. "Jump!" Jaskier yelled and Ciri slipped off in her surprise and the loud voice in her head. She almost screamed when strong arms wrapped around her and she peered up to see shocked golden cat eyes staring down at her. Ciri looked over his face, white hair, and she knew this was Geralt. 

They stared at each other for a second longer before a loud crashing noise drew their attention and Ciri shrieked as she quickly pushed away from Geralt's arms. 

Vesemir and Eskel running out of the stables just in time to join everyone and watch as the dragon crashed to the ground, its wings spread out wide and looking like they had broke on impact while the rest of its body lay limp and in awkward angles. Ciri tried running to it but Geralt grabbed her arms and held her back while Lambert and Coen jumped over the steps and rushed it, swords drawn. 

"No, no, no! Stop! Dad!" The girl cried, trying to push away from Geralt, and the dragon opened its eyes making Lambert and Coen stop in their tracks, looking back at the girl. In Geralt's shock, he lost his grip on Ciri and the girl ran for Jaskier, sliding to a stop by his nose and fussed over him.

"Listen here girl, get away from there." Ciri looked up at the voice, glaring at the bearded Witcher and his sword. 

"No, go away! Don't hurt him!" Ciri covered Jaskier's muzzle with her body and the Witcher's stared in shock as the dragon's eyes closed and leaned into the girl. 

"It's a dragon! How is he not dangerous?" Lambert asked, looking from the girl to Coen and the Griffin shook his head. 

"Stop calling him it! He saved me!" Ciri yelled, tears pouring down her face as she clung to the dragon. Taring off her cloak, Ciri began wiping away the soot from the dragon's face, revealing the golden scales instead of the dull icky black covering them. 

"Borch?" Geralt questioned as he approached and watched as the girl cleaned the dragon the best she could with her cloak, looking over at him with a furrowed brow.

"Borch? Who's Borch?" She shook her head. "His name isn't Borch, and it's your fault he's like this!" Ciri screamed before going back to what she was doing. Everyone gave Geralt a curious look and the Witcher shook his head with a shrug of his shoulders. 

"How exactly is this my fault?" Geralt asked and the girl stood, throwing her cloak at Geralt. 

"You threw him away like he meant nothing! You rejected his love for you and now…! Now…!" Ciri started crying, hard, trying to wipe away her tears as they fell and all the Witcher's felt at a loss to what they should do. 

"Ciri." Everyone looked at the dragon when it spoke and Geralt felt his heart jump to his throat, the girl running over to him and pressing herself to his still soot-covered neck. 

"Breath, little cub. It's okay." The dragon said and Geralt stared with wide eyes, walking over to it and bright cornflower blues darted to him and made him freeze in place.

"Jaskier?" Geralt's voice was a rough whisper.


	5. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, lion cub of Cintra." The dragon, Jaskier, spoke. "Child Surprise to Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *drops another* Ahem.

"Put those damn things away." Eskel hissed as he walked passed Coen and Lambert, both Witcher's fumbling with their swords and watched as Eskel knelt next to the girl.

"Hey… Would you like help to get him clean?" Eskel asked her and Ciri nodded against his neck, sniffling and rubbed her arm across her face. Eskel looked over his shoulder at Vesemir who nodded and grabbed Lambert by the ear.

"Come along pup, let's go get some water." Lambert yelped loudly as Vesemir pulled him along. "You too, Coen!" The Griffin jumped and hopped into action, quickly following behind the two wolfs with hesitant glances over his shoulder.

"Come now, take a deep breath child." Eskel said to Ciri and the girl wiped her face more with her hands, trying to get the tears to stop, then put her hands back on the dragon's neck and wiped away at the soot there as she blinked away more tears. 

"Your name is Ciri, right?" Eskel asked and the girl nodded, her eyes jumping to the dragon's face as a low rumble came from his throat.

"Cirilla Fiona Elen Riannon, lion cub of Cintra." The dragon, Jaskier, spoke. "Child Surprise to Geralt of Rivia, the White Wolf." Jaskier laughed quietly but the noise cut off as his body suddenly jerked and he turned away from Ciri and the scarred Witcher, his body lifting off the ground on its own as he coughed violently. Geralt quickly pulled Ciri back as Jaskier's wings snapped about uncontrolled and the dragon's eyes were wide, lips pulled back as he wheezed and choked on something in his throat. 

Ciri cried while the Witcher's both looked on in shocked horror as the dragon coughed and wheezed until blood poured from its maw. Coen returning with a large bucket of water and cursed quietly under his breath as he stared at the dragon hunched over itself now with blood oozing from between its teeth. 

Ciri angrily pushed away from Geralt and ran back to Jaskier, uncaring of the blood dripping off his jaw and hugged his muzzle to her chest as she sobbed loudly. Coen walked up to the dragon and threw the bucket of water at its chest and lower belly, frowning hard as he stared at the webbed veins dancing across the pale golden scales. 

"Your mate rejected you." Coen said quietly and Jaskier looked at him lazily, panting hard as he tried to regain his breathing. "I… I'm sorry." Coen frowned and looked away but Jaskier only laughed weakly, happy it didn't end in a coughing fit.

"Don't be… We know the risk of perusing our destined mates." Jaskier said and Coen frowned harder. "You're a Griffin… You know well enough what will happen, Dragon Hunter." Coen nodded slowly at Jaskier's words, frowning still as he gently pried Ciri off of Jaskier's muzzle, the girl trying to cling to him.

"Darling Cub." Jaskier whispered, gently licking the tip of his tongue across her cheek. "We spoke about this. Geralt will keep you safe." Ciri shook her head angrily, balling her fists tightly.

"It's his fault! I don't want him to look after me, I want you!" Ciri yelled and Coen's eyes went wide as he looked from the dragon's sad eyes over towards Geralt, and suddenly the Griffin felt angry.

"You rejected him?" Coen asked and Geralt's brow pinched, looking from the dragon over to the Griffin. 

"What are you talking about?" Geralt asked curiously, he stepped to the side when Lambert and Vesemir returned, a bucket in each hand, and Coen motioned for them to throw the water across the dragon's shoulders and neck. The Wolves did as directed and everyone sucked in a hard breath as the soot washed away, angry webbed veins dancing across most of the dragon's upper body and crawling up his neck while one of his legs was inflamed and reeked of death. 

"Normally," Coen began, staring at the leg. "A dragon would be able to fight off a poison this armature, but…" Coen looked at Geralt again, his gaze narrowing. "Unless they were already dying from rejection." Geralt's eyes went wide, looking back at the dragon and frowned.

"Hold up," Lambert said, pointing at the dragon. "A dragon can actually die if they're rejected by someone?" Lambert looked at the others. "Then shouldn't the bard, if this is him, have died forever ago?" Lambert looked at Geralt. "From what you told us, that countess what-ever-her-name, rejected him countless times." 

"Only a destined mates rejection can kill." Coen interjected and Lambert looked back at the Griffin. 

"Okay, then shouldn't the acceptance of this mate fix it?" Lambert asked and Coen nodded slowly.

"Technically speaking, yes. The reality, the mate wouldn't have even known what they were doing." Coen looked at Geralt.

"Shouldn't he know his mate? Isn't that how their courting works?" Eskel asked, and Vesemir nodded some, proud that at least one of his pups remembered something.

"Easy, we just go find his mate then." Lambert said and suddenly Jaskier was wheezing with laughter, his whole body trembling with it, and Ciri frowned as she reached out for him.

"Damnit Jaskier, this isn't funny! Don't you want to at least _try_?" Geralt said in annoyance and both Ciri and Coen turned equally deadly glares over to the Witcher.

"Dear Witcher… I took myself off your hands." Jaskier looked lazily over at Geralt with one eye by the way his head was angled. "Destiny is finishing the job." Geralt took a step back like he was physically struck, his eyes wide as he stared at Jaskier while the dragon lazily turned his eye to Lambert, answering the question already on the youngest wolf's lips.

"My mate is bound himself to another, by the wish of a djinn with his desire to save her life for saving mine." Jaskier said and both Lambert and Eskel turned their gazes to Geralt. "My mate desired life to take me off his hands." 

Geralt stumbled back another step, stumbling and falling on his rear as he stared in utter horror at Jaskier. He did this? His words from the mountain, his anger, his frustration… Geralt cupped a hand over his mouth and blinked hard. Vesemir helped Geralt to his feet, watching as the wolf took a step towards Jaskier but the dragon flinched and pulled back, Coen pulling Ciri closer to him and turning her so that her face was pressed to his stomach while Jaskier began to hack again.

"Jaskier!" Geralt ran over to him, ignoring the way his brothers and mentor called after him and grabbed hold of Jaskier's face, pulling the large dragon head down to be eye level with him.

"I didn't mean it, any of it! I was angry, I took it out on you. I didn't mean it!" Jaskier's choking calmed down just that little bit, staring at Geralt's face, blood lazily dripping past his teeth. 

"I didn't mean it, none of it." Geralt spoke calmer, staring at Jaskier's eyes. The dragon blinked tiredly at the Witcher. "I am so sorry, Jask. So sorry. I will spend every minute making it up to you, alright? Just… You can't die." Geralt blinked past the water in his eyes and Jaskier let out a low wounded noise from the back of his throat while Geralt gently ran his hand across Jaskier's cheek.

"Jaskier, I-" Geralt's voice trailed off as a portal opened in the middle of the courtyard and Jaskier frowned as he turned to look with everyone else. -"Love you" Geralt finished lamely as Yennefer of fucking Vengerberg fell through and Jaskier's head reared back, pulling away from Geralt as the Witcher's eyes were glued to her prone figure on the ground. 

"Dad!" Ciri screamed as Jaskier snarled, backing away from Geralt as fast as he could, the webbed vines crawling across his skin quickly and Geralt realized what he did too late, panicking.

"No, no, no, no! I didn't-- That wasn't-- Jaskier please!" He tried but Jaskier's body wasn't having it, his heart didn't believe it, the webbing crawling across his skin so quickly it was painful and Jaskier screamed. His large body throwing itself against the side of the keep as he crawled away from Geralt and eventually laid prone across the courtyard. 

"What did you do!?" Ciri screamed at Geralt, smacking away from Coen's arms and running to Geralt to smack him hard before running over to Jaskier's head. Geralt stared in horror, Coen running over to Ciri and pulling her into his arms as she sobbed uncontrollably, his eyes darting to Yennefer's body on the ground. He looked to Vesemir next, the old wolf ordering Lambert and Eskel to get the Sorceress inside before approaching Geralt.

"Pup." His voice was gruff, heavy with emotion that people believed they couldn't possibly possess. Geralt watched as his brothers took Yennefer inside then looked a Ciri and Coen near Jaskier's head, his heart hammering in his chest, he ran his hands through his hair. He wanted to make sure Yennefer was alright, he wanted to save Jaskier, he wanted to make everything right by Ciri. 

Geralt couldn't think anymore, his brain shut down, his feet moved on their own when he stepped forward.


	6. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jaskier closed his eyes as Coen moved himself under his chin, tilting his head back and posed the blade so the tip of it was angled against the softer underside of Jaskier's neck. The angle of the blade would sever his trachea and push up to sever his spinal cord before finally burying deep into his brain, the initial shock will knock him unconscious while the blade finished the rest.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pointing out... My "Through" and "Threw" are NEVER the right one, never have been when writing. XD   
> If someone can give small hints to help me "Know/remember" which one really should go where feel free to just throw that out there. XD

Jaskier managed to open his eyes, just barely enough to see, and saw just as Geralt has vanished inside the keep after Yennefer. His eyes slipped closed once again. Of course. Blood oozed from between his teeth and he opened his eyes to look at Ciri, frowning as he saw her curled up in Coen's lap and bawling like, well, like a child.

"Hunter…" Coen looked at Jaskier when he spoke, rubbing Ciri's back. The girl didn't react to his voice, Coen noted, he must be speaking to him directly. "Have you ever been asked… To kill for mercy?" Coen's eyes widened, staring at Jaskier. He tried to keep his breathing normal, to keep his hand on Ciri's back moving, but Vesemir being who he has noticed the minuscule of change and his eyes immediately narrowed on Coen. The Griffin looked at the old wolf helplessly.

"Once," Coen answered in his head and the dragon let out a tired huff.

"Tired…" Ciri now reacted, Jaskier speaking normally, and she immediately went to him. Pulling his large head into her lap, uncaring of the blood, and pressed herself to him.

"It'll be okay, dad. It'll be okay." She babbled and Jaskier smiled weakly as his eyes slipped closed. 

"It hurts, my darling cub," Jaskier said, his head rolling to the side of its own accord, and Ciri hiccupped. 

"No, you can't leave me! Please, I still need you!" Ciri cried, trying to pull his head back. The sound of a sword unsheathing made her turn around and Vesemir stared at Coen as the Griffin stood with his silver blade drawn.

"What are you doing!?" Ciri cried out and covered Jaskier as much as she could with her little body. 

"He's suffering, young one… Do you really want him to live his last moments in pain?" Coen asked cautiously and Ciri frowned hard, looking at Jaskier who had his eyes on Coen.

"You… You asked him." She said, it wasn't a question, and Jaskier's eye jumped to her as a low wounded noise left his throat.

"He went to her, darling cub… There is no chance for me." Ciri looked at the keep, glaring at it, then looked at Jaskier.

"Just… Just wait, please!?" Please wait, just a little longer." Jaskier stared at her, sighing quietly, but nodded weakly. Coen didn't put his blade away, but he did set it down on the ground and knelt next to the dragons head, gently running his fingers across its nose, and they all watched as Ciri ran into the keep. Vesemir sighed and walked over finally, cloth in hand, and wiped away and the still damp scales to clean up more of the soot still clinging to him.

"I'm sorry you have to go threw this, Jaskier," Vesemir said and the dragon just closed his eyes. "I'm sorry I raised such a fool pup," Vesemir said and Jaskier's chest vibrated in quiet laughter. 

"Not your fault, old wolf. This is quite a common thing for dragons that choose to go after their destined one." Jaskier said weakly but it only made Vesemir frown harder. Jaskier's lip pulled back in a growl as more blood oozed past his teeth, forcing him to open his mouth to get it out, his long tongue lolling onto the cement as blood seeped through the cracks in it as well as soaking Coen's knees from the Witcher kneeling so close. 

"Hurts," Jaskier whined weakly, looking at Coen. Vesemir just continued to wipe away soot from Jaskier's scales while Coen didn't need an explanation and picked up his sword again. Jaskier closed his eyes as Coen moved himself under his chin, tilting his head back and posed the blade so the tip of it was angled against the softer underside of Jaskier's neck. The angle of the blade would sever his trachea and push up to sever his spinal cord before finally burying deep into his brain, the initial shock will knock him unconscious while the blade finished the rest. 

If it were a normal human Jaskier may have been worried they wouldn't be able to do it fast enough, making it painful instead of swift, but with Coen doing it, Jaskier felt a strange sort of peace roll over him. He tilted his head back just that little bit more, felt the sword tip bite into his scales, and suddenly everyone froze as a loud scream tore through the keep.

Coen pulled his sword away quickly as Jaskier growled and, much to Coen and Vesemir's surprise, stood up with newfound strength and clawed his way up the keep wall and towards the source of the scream. Jaskier will apologize later for what he does next, or maybe not, as the scream came from one of the towers and he _ripped_ the roof off, his lips pulled back in a snarl as he stared down at what could only be described as Yennefer's room in the keep.

The Witcher's staring at the dragon in shock while Ciri blinked in surprise, blood still oozed from between Jaskier's teeth, and with his lips pulled back like they were, he looked like a real threat. His eyes snapping to Geralt, the white-haired Witcher standing close to Yennefer, and Jaskier growled louder.

"It's not enough to hurt me, you have to hurt my cub too!?" Jaskier growled and Geralt began to flounder for words, Vesemir and Coen coming up the stairs. 

"No, you don't understand! I was just--!" Geralt started but Jaskier roared, cutting him off, and crawled into the room enough where his upper body was low enough were Ciri could run over and cling to his front leg. 

"I brought her here to be safe! Not for her to watch you fawn over and fuck your fucking witch!" Jaskier roared and Lambert snorted, looking away when Jaskier turned his eye on him, Eskel shaking his head next to him.

"Jaskier," Eskel spoke, taking a step forward. "Geralt didn't come to make sure Yennefer was alright." The scarred Witcher said and Jaskier blinked, looking back at Geralt. "He came to try and wake her up, smacked her across the cheek good too. He thinks that she will be able to help you." Eskel explained and Geralt pointed at his brother, nodding.

"He was pretty much straddling her when your cub there entered the room. Set of lungs on that one." Lambert said and wiggled his pinky in his ear while Ciri pressed her face to Jaskier's leg. Jaskier stared at Geralt, the Witcher shifting from side to side.

"You seriously expect me to believe that yo- Wait…" Jaskier narrowed his gaze at Geralt, staring at him for a good solid beat before looking down at Ciri then back up in shock. "Your bond is gone." Geralt's eyes went wide and he looked back at the sleeping Yennefer, he felt no desire to check on her, no desire to kiss her awake, no desire to see her naked, ever. Geralt looked back at Jaskier then at Ciri who was still pressed against Jaskier.

"Ciri, you-" Jaskier began but cut himself off as a fountain of blood poured from his maw, the surge of adrenaline with the desire to save his cub wearing off, and his eyes rolled back and body falling forward. Ciri screamed for him as his head crashed through the middle of the room, destroying everything as it went down, his back legs catching on the broken wall and keeping his entire body from collapsing into the small room.

"Shit." Coen growled and ran over, grabbing one of Jaskier's horns and rolling his head to get a look at his eyes. The Griffin frowned as one of the cornflower blues was covered with the webbed veins now covering his whole body and grabbed hold of his sword.

"The fuck are you doing!?" Geralt yelled and ran over to Coen, shoving the Witcher away from Jaskier.

"Back off, Geralt! He's in pain, he's suffering!" Geralt frowned at Coen. "He's _dying_ , Geralt!" Coen yelled and Geralt turned around to look at Jaskier. The dragon's breathing was labored, eyes rolled back, and talons barely scraping across the floor of the room, trying to find purchase, and Geralt quickly went to Jaskier's nose and grabbed the underside of his jaw, tilting his head.

"Alright, bard." Geralt started. "Listen up, you don't get to die, not like this. Not because of me, you're a dragon, apparently," Geralt shrugged his shoulders giving a bewildered blink. "And you don't get to leave Cirilla." The girl hiccupped behind him, Jaskier's eyes blinking and blindly searched the room. "You… You don't get to leave me. Not like this." Geralt pressed his forehead against Jaskier's nose, wrapping his arms around the dragon's muzzle. "I love you… you don't get to leave me alone like this." 

Geralt sobbed out the last line, pressing as hard as he could against Jaskier's muzzle, the room was deathly silent. Geralt sat there, holding onto Jaskier's nose, and suddenly the dragon's body jerked and forced him to let go. The Witcher stared as Jaskier lifted his head, the blood oozing from between his teeth now stopped, and Jaskier stared at Geralt for along time.

"This does not fix things, Witcher." Jaskier said tiredly, carefully removing his legs from being stuck and Vesemir was about to open his mouth to complain about his size when Jaskier's body began shrinking. Everyone watched in fascination as the giant -almost manor sized- dragon shrunk down to the size of a medium-sized dog. Geralt stared at Jaskier for a breath then wrapped the dragon up in his arms and held him tightly.

"Well… Now that he's not immediately on deaths door," Lambert said and everyone looked at him. "Why hasn't the bard changed back?" Geralt looked back at Jaskier.

"That's… A good question." He said and Jaskier rolled his eyes, pulling out of Geralt's arms and limping his way over to Ciri who hugged him tightly. 

"My clothes were ripped when I changed… I can't exactly walk around butt naked with my cub, now can I?" Jaskier rolled his eyes again when Geralt looked to the side, obviously having not thought of that. 

"I... Hmm... I have something you might be able to wear. Or maybe Lambert…?" Geralt looked over to his brother, obviously the smallest of them all, and the youngest wolf shrugged his shoulders.

"I may have something I don't need anymore. Would be the easiest to fit too his size too if it's too big." Lambert shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, looking at Jaskier and the dragon nodded some. 

"I don't… I would like to stay like this, for now, if that's alright?" Jaskier looked to Vesemir as he spoke and the old wolf nodded.

"Whatever you are comfortable with, Jaskier." Vesemir said and Jaskier smiled some, leaning heavily against Ciri and the girl giggled.

"Dad, you're heavy." She smiled as Jaskier tried to readjust himself but ended up collapsing onto his belly with a tired huff.

"Sorry, darling cub. I'm still… Tired, and sore." Ciri frowned and knelt next to him, petting his head gently.

"You can stay in the room I usually take when I'm here till we find another suitable room." Coen pipped up and Ciri looked at him with a smile. "I imagine you are both exhausted. You more so, Jaskier." The dragon let out a weak laugh and gave a small nod. 

"Thank you, Hunter. Sleep would be much appreciated, I think." Jaskier looked at Ciri who nodded and bounced to her feet. Geralt moved to pick Jaskier up but the dragon bared his teeth at him and inched away, the look of hurt that crossed Geralt's face made him feel almost guilty. Almost. 

"My instincts might believe you, Geralt… But I don't." Jaskier hissed and Geralt looked away, nodding slowly. "Prove you mean it." Jaskier said and Geralt looked at Coen, a silent asking, and the Griffin picked Jaskier up in his arms and motioned for Ciri to follow him, carrying the dragon out of the room towards his own for a good rest. 

Geralt flinched when a hand landed on his shoulder, looking to his side to see Eskel standing there with a sympathetic smile.

"He'll get there, brother. Give it time." Geralt nodded slowly at his brother's words, his eyes drifting back just in time for cornflower blues lock with his before disappearing down the stairs. 

"If it helps," Lambert chirped, picking at his nails with a dagger. "There are lots of books on courting in the library." Lambert looked up blinking at the startled looked from the other wolves and frowned. "What?!"

"You looked at courting rituals?" Eskel asked, skeptical.

"No, it was an accident. Shut up!" Lambert stormed from the room and Eskel grinned at Geralt.

"Betcha he's finally going to tell the cat how he feels." Eskel grinned more as Geralt and Vesemir snorted with amusement, the old wolf's eyes lifting to the open sky above them and sighed. 

"I suppose we need to put the sorceress somewhere else till we can fix that." He placed his hands on his hips, shaking his head. 

"I'll put her in my room." Geralt said and the other wolves looked at him with lifted brows.

"Is that wise, pup? You are already on very thin ice with the dragon. The smallest slip could trigger the rejection." Vesemir said and Geralt opened his mouth to speak but froze, the idea of Jaskier dying because he was stupid, again, had a low wounded wine leave his throat.

"She can stay in mine," Eskel said and Geralt looked at his brother. "I'll just bunk with you till we get this fixed." He smiled and Geralt gave a thankful nod.

"What about all of her shit?" Vesemir asked and Geralt looked around the room, frowning at the potions, the trunks of clothes, everything that seemed so fucking useless. 

"Leave it." Geralt growled, looking at the woman sleeping on the bed. "She can deal with it all when she wakes."

Eskel and Vesemir smirked, both nodding, and Eskel clapped his brother's shoulder before walking over to the woman and hoisting her up over his shoulder and carried her to his room while Geralt and Vesemir went to the courtyard to finish the forgotten task of stabling the horses.


	7. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I don't think going out, finding the largest bear and ripping its head off and presenting it to him will work!" Geralt growled.
> 
> "That's not the only option, Geralt!" Lambert huffed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huehue
> 
> I decided some fluff was needed for this! Jaskier has been beat on so much! He deserves some soft!

Jaskier woke not even an hour after Coen set him and Ciri up in his room, the pain in his shoulder searing and making rest impossible. The downsized dragon poured himself off the mattress to keep himself from disturbing a sleeping Ciri and limped his way down the corridors, looking about. It didn't take long before Jaskier could hear people talking, limping his way to an open door arch that had a warm fire glow spilling into the hall.

"And I'm saying that's stupid." Geralt's voice growled and Jaskier's brow lifted slightly, peeking around the corner ever so slightly, his eyes widening at the sight of all the books in the room. 

"Why not? There is nothing wrong with Skellige courting." Came Lambert's voice. 

"I don't think going out, finding the largest bear and ripping its head off and presenting it to him will work!" Geralt growled and Jaskier's brow pinched lightly.

"That's not the only option, Geralt!" Lambert huffed.

"Why not, oh I don't know, go with the traditional one?" Eskel's voice came now and Jaskier's head tilted. "He's a dragon. Maybe, just _maybe_ he would want to be courted like one?" Jaskier's brow ridges flew high at the words.

"Perhaps we could ask the dragon himself." Vesemir said and looked towards the door. "Shouldn't you be sleeping, boy?" 

Jaskier rolled his eyes, smiling ever so slightly to himself because of course, the old Witcher would be able to tell, and he carefully nudged the door open further and limped his way in. Geralt stood ramrod straight, itching to go help Jaskier, but last time he tried the bard looked ready to bite his hand off. 

"Couldn't sleep." Jaskier said tiredly, sitting back on his haunches, keeping his front discolored leg up. Vesemir made a noise low in the back of his throat and walked over to Jaskier, kneeling to get a better look at the limb and gently prodded it. 

"Well, feeling it means you're healing." Vesemir said. "And you smell less like death, which is a good sign." Jaskier let out a tired "yippie" and made Vesemir chuckle. "I know you are at odds with him, but being close to your mate would help." Vesemir said quietly and Jaskier's head dropped.

"I know…" He said quietly while Geralt was practically buzzing with anxiety. Jaskier looked over at him and huffed with a mix of annoyance and fondness looking at Vesemir again who smiled and picked the dragon up. Jaskier shifted in his arms, shrinking in size again and was now the size of a house cat, Geralt's eyes wide as he stared at Vesemir bring the dragon over.

"No touching, pup. He will tell you when you can." Vesemir said and Geralt nodded, his eyes falling to Jaskier as the dragon crawled from Vesemir's arms and onto Geralt's shoulders, draping himself across the wide expanse and laying his head down over his chest while his tail dangled lazily on the other side. Eskel and Lambert stared in awe as their brother just continued on with what they were doing like it was totally normal for him to have a dragon laying on him.

"So, Jaskier," Vesemir said as he sat down in one of the chairs around the table that was piled full of books. "If someone were to court you, what would you prefer?" Jaskier's head tilted slightly, rolling across Geralt's chest.

"I… Don't know." Jaskier mumbled. "Never been courted, always did the courting." Jaskier continued to mumble and Geralt looked down at him suddenly very aware of all the times Jaskier took care of him for no reason, there didn't even need to be a hunt or the random gifts. Jaskier once gave him a dagger, not a very good one that he traded a healer to help Jaskier when he was wounded from following Geralt on a hunt instead of staying at the camp. Then there were a few odds and ends, things that Jaskier thought were "pretty" or "useful" that mostly ended up getting traded for healers, rooms, or baths. 

"That's… That's what the trinkets were? The bathing?" Geralt asked and Jaskier nodded slowly, not looking at him, and Geralt bit the inside of his cheek. "Excuse us for a moment," Geralt suddenly said and Jaskier looked up at him. "I need to show you something." 

Geralt quickly left the room, his brothers smirking after him, and Jaskier stared at Geralt curiously. The Witcher walked quickly, Jaskier needing to dig his nails into his shirt to keep his balance properly, and soon they were stepping into another room. This one was definitely a bedroom, much like the one Coen let them borrow, the bed was pushed against the wall with various cupboards and shelves and tables. One table, long, skinny and tall, was pushed against the wall beside the bed and Jaskier stared wide-eyed and the items spread across it. 

"Had to beat the shit out of Lambert for the table." Geralt grumbled, not looking at Jaskier as he picked up a rock from the table. The small stone brightly colored with pink and blue swirls. "I suppose you recognize everything else." He said lamely and Jaskier took it all in. 

The table had to be as long as his wingspan this size, the surface completely covered in some of the trinkets Jaskier had given Geralt during their travels. Everything from small boxes, now used as displays to hold something more valuable, to the smallest of gem fragments. Jaskier stared at it all, his eyes falling to a silver ring embroidered with amber.

"You said it was tacky." Jaskier glanced at Geralt and the Witcher scoffed. 

"It _is_ tacky." Geralt looked away, huffing. "But it felt… Wrong… To throw it away. To throw any of these away." Geralt motioned over his shoulder. "I used to use that table over there." Jaskier lifted his head and looked across the room, a pitiful excuse of a table sitting in the far corner, and Jaskier frowned. "That felt wrong eventually too… When it was just small things, like these," Geralt picked up a couple of gem fragments. "Then you just… Kept giving me things."

"Forgive me for trying to show my affections for you through gift-giving and song." Jaskier said with an eye roll and Geralt looked at him finally, looking pained, and Jaskier froze.

"That's not what I meant." Geralt put the fragments down, making sure they were in the right position. "I meant… You did what you thought would draw my attention, and just as I… Started… To think maybe… I went and bound myself to Yennefer in a moment of stupidity." Jaskier frowned, staring up at Geralt. "At the time, believing you were human, I was scared of the feelings I was gaining. Yennefer felt… Safe. Less painful." Jaskier frowned still staring at Geralt.

"And now?" The dragon asked and Geralt closed his eyes, swallowing hard.

"I'm terrified… Terrified that I screwed up so badly that you will refuse me the chance to make it right. To show you that I truly mean it when I say that I love you." Jaskier stared at Geralt for a long time before leaning up and gently rubbing his head across the Witcher's cheek, making Geralt let out a shuddering breath.

"I will never stop loving you, Geralt, but you need to work to earn my affections." Jaskier said and Geralt nodded quickly.

"Anything." The Witcher breathed and Jaskier smiled. 

"How about you tell me about the courting's you've read already?" Geralt huffed a laugh and smiled. "And perhaps tell me there is a place where I can have a bath? I can feel the soot between my scales and it itches." Jaskier pulled his lips back in an annoyed snarl and Geralt laughed again louder this time, and Jaskier stared at him like he'd grown another head. 

"Do you mind… If I helped?" Geralt asked and Jaskier _beamed_. 

"Oh, please." Jaskier nodded quickly and Geralt smiled, reaching up to gently lay his hand over Jaskier's front feet resting on his shoulder and turned to leave his room. He was suddenly grateful for Eskel's quick thinking with Yennefer, letting the Sorceress stay in his room till they fixed the roof. 

"Eskel bunks with me right now." He said suddenly, walking through the halls, and Jaskier tilted his head.

"Doesn't he have his own room?" Jaskier asks.

"He does, but he's letting Yennefer stay in his for now since someone ripped off the top of hers." Geralt side-eyed Jaskier and the little dragon snorted, utterly amused.

"I did do that, didn't I." He said and Geralt hummed with a smirk.

"You're not even a little bit sorry, are you?" Geralt asked and Jaskier scoffed.

"To ruin her perfect little room? No, I'm not." Jaskier growled and Geralt smiled as he glanced at Jaskier, taking more stairs down.

"Not even sorry for ruining part of my home?" He asked and Jaskier rolled his eyes.

"Okay, I'm sorry for _that_ bit nothing else, I'll even help Vesemir fix it when I feel better." Geralt laughed softly, rubbing Jaskier's feet gently while pushing open a door with his other and watched, pleased with himself, as Jaskier's jaws fell open at the sight.

"Kaer Morhen's hot springs." Geralt said and Jaskier squeaked excitedly. The Witcher laughed softly and picked Jaskier up from his shoulders and set him on the floor.

"Pick which pool you want, they are all different levels of hot. Further back you go, the hotter it gets." Geralt said and stepped to the side, Jaskier's head snapping towards him.

"What are you doing?" He asked carefully and Geralt smiled as he pointed towards a cabinet just to the side of them and Jaskier sheepishly looked at the ground.

"I'm grabbing a brush, maybe see if we can find soap or something to help get the soot out. Go pick a pool, I'll be there in a moment." Jaskier nodded, feeling silly, and limped his way over to the pools. He checked each one, picking one three pools from the back. He bounced excitedly on his back feet as he waited for Geralt, the Witcher finding him quickly with a small basin in one hand and towel wrapped around his waist. 

"This one?" The Witcher asked and Jaskier nodded happily. "Hop in then." Geralt said, kneeling and setting down the basin in his hands while Jaskier carefully slipped himself into the pool and a low, long, loud purr left him as his whole body was enveloped with warmth. Geralt was stunned, staring at Jaskier with wide eyes while the dragon just floated there.

"Never knew you could purr." Geralt teased and Jaskier flicked his wing, splashing Geralt. 

"Shut up and wash me, Witcher." Jaskier said and Geralt rolled his eyes.

"Yes Sir." Geralt mocked, slipping into the poll and pulling Jaskier to his body. Geralt Reached around and grabbed the soap he'd found, popping the top off and holding it to Jaskier for approval and when the dragon nodded a little bit Geralt poured some out onto his back then reached back for the brush he'd found.

"Some reason there is a horse brush down here," Geralt said, holding it up for Jaskier's inspection. "Figured it'd work?" 

"They work very well, actually." Jaskier said, laying his head on Geralt's shoulder. "The bristles somehow manage to get the dirt out from the smallest of places." Jaskier nuzzled his head against Geralt's shoulder and the Witcher smiled before setting to work.

He rubbed the brush along Jaskier's back a couple times, sudding up the soap, then began to gently move the brush across Jaskier's body in small circular motions. Jaskier turned into a dragon-shaped puddle under Geralt's touch, purring quite happily as he drifted between sleep and awake, the Witcher being careful of the injured shoulder. 

Layer upon layer of soot washed off of Jaskier, the water in the pool turning a murky grey color from the amount, but Geralt kept cleaning. The pool will clean itself soon enough, and Jaskier needed to be clean. Geralt was fascinated, entranced, the more he cleaned the brighter the gold in Jaskier's scales had gotten. Geralt must have been there for hours, and while he was pouring on more soap that finally sudded up clear instead of grey, the poor to the springs opened and he looked over to see Eskel approaching. 

"Ah, here you are." Eskel said, smiling at Geralt. 

"I… Showed him the things I kept." Geralt said, looking sheepish but continued to brush Jaskier's scales. "Then he asked about a bath… I wanted to help, so…" Eskel chuckled softly, peeking over Geralt's shoulder and smiled.

"You've successfully lulled him to sleep, that's for sure." Geralt looked surprised, pausing his brushing but Jaskier immediately wriggled about and Geralt continued, the wiggling settling down and Geralt chuckled quietly.

"I think… I want to use more than one way of courting." Geralt said, surprising Eskel. "There are some that mean only friendship, eternally loyal and such, but not the same as the others that mean love, or wedding type." Geralt looked at Jaskier, gently rubbing the brush across the dragon's wings. "I want him to know I mean all of it. He's my bard, my best friend, my…" Geralt blushed a little bit. "My heart, my love. I want him to know how much he means to me." 

Geralt looked up at his brother, Eskel's face one of awe as he stared at Geralt. 

"Brother, I do believe you've officially grown up." Eskel said and Geralt rolled his eyes, flicking water at Eskel and making the scarred Witcher laugh. 

"Alright, oh mighty White Wolf. I'll do some digging, see which ones we are able to do here in winter. I'm certain you will continue come spring, but there is no harm in getting a head start." Eskel grinned and Geralt nodded.

Together the two Witcher's finally got Jaskier out of the pool, Eskel wrapping the small dragon up in a towel while Geralt got dressed, Eskel carefully handed the dragon back to Geralt and the Witcher held him preciously against his chest while the two made their way back into the keep.

"There you both are! Do you have any ide---!" Eskel quickly ran over to Lambert and slapped his hand over the younger Witcher's mouth, earning him a scowl but when Eskel put his finger to his lips then pointed over towards Geralt carrying a still sleeping dragon Lambert just rolled his eyes. 

"You better be joining in on all this reading after." Lambert hissed quietly, looking again at Geralt and rolled his eyes fondly before retreating back to the library.

"Go on, best not make him anymore grouchy." Geralt said and Eskel grinned, squeezing Geralt's arm gently before heading off after Lambert. 

Geralt took Jaskier back to Coen's room, setting the dragon down next to Ciri and watched as the curl wiggled a bit then curled herself around Jaskier, the dragons head curling around her shoulders and wiggling in close. He smiled, daring, and reached out to brush the hair from Ciri's face. 

He quickly pulled back, still smiling some, and backed out of the room. Closing the door carefully, Geralt rested his head against the wood and took a moment to just breathe before pushing back and making his way to the library. He had reading he needed to do, he would give his bard the best courting, one he truly deserved.


	8. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Still sleeping?" Geralt looked up from his work, pricking himself with the needle, as Coen came into the room. Geralt frowned at the prick on his finger and stuck it in his mouth for a second, looking over to Jaskier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More fluffy cuteness for our adorable Dragon Bard... Since It's about to severely suck again. xD

Jaskier slept for three days straight, waking up long enough by Geralt's coaxing to drink water then promptly passing out again. Ciri woke a day and a half after she had fallen asleep, scarfing down food like she a horse while Vesemir got to know her more, asking if she'd like to learn how to be a Witcher, without the trials of course. Ciri was eager, claiming she will learn it all so that she could protect her dad. 

Geralt refused to leave the room, he even suffered through the glaring from Ciri whenever the girl came into the room to rest. Coen and Lambert had found a couple of rooms for Jaskier and Ciri to use and spent their time outside of training clearing them out while Eskel helped Geralt research the best choices for going about his courting. 

The wait was tedious, Ciri kept wanting to wake Jaskier up to make sure he was alright or just to be able to talk to him, but every time Geralt shut her down saying that he needed his rest from everything he went through which in turn set off another bout of glaring from the young girl. Geralt kept himself busy, sitting at a table beside the bed, sowing needle in hand, and a bright blue double in the other, working on putting some finer details into the collar of the shirt while Jaskier slept. He would like this color, it matched his eyes. 

"Still sleeping?" Geralt looked up from his work, pricking himself with the needle, as Coen came into the room. Geralt frowned at the prick on his finger and stuck it in his mouth for a second, looking over to Jaskier.

"Yeah. I'm… Getting worried." Geralt confessed but Coen just smiled.

"Don't be. He almost died, it will take a bit for him to get back on his feet." Coen said gently, walking over to Jaskier and gently rubbed a finger across his nose, the little dragon purring loudly and leaning into the touch making Geralt chuckle as Coen froze in shock. 

"That's a new one for me." Coen said, returning to rubbing his finger across the dragon's nose to get him to purr again.

"You've always only killed them, Coen. I doubt a dragon fighting you will want you to hear it purr." Geralt snarked and Coen rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, Wolf." The Witcher's grinned at each other. "I'm surprised that the sorceress hasn't woken yet either." Geralt rolled his eyes.

"Yennefer always did take pride in her "beauty sleep", her chaos is also drained, she may sleep a couple days longer still." Geralt said and Coen made a low noise in the back of his throat.

"You know her rather well, then." The Griffin looked over his shoulder at Geralt and the Witcher rolled his eyes.

"Because of something stupid. I never should have made the last wish as I did." Geralt frowned, going back to what he was stitching into the shirt.

"Oooh?" Coen teased, smirking. "Tell me, if you could go back, do it all over again, what would you wish for?" Coen asked, looking at Geralt. The white-haired Witcher paused his work, thinking about it. 

"Back then… I didn't know Jaskier was a dragon, so, I probably would wish for something stupid and wish that Jaskier stay with me forever." Geralt resumed his stitching and Coen snorted.

"He does that anyway." Coen pointed out and Geralt smirked.

"He does, doesn't he… No, I meant that he wouldn't die. Not till I did at least. Knowing he was human, that he would have to leave me…" Geralt's voice trailed off and Coen smiled gently. 

"Well, I suppose now that you know he's a dragon, you're not worried about that?" Coen asked and Geralt shook his head.

"No. Now that I know what he is, that he will be able to stay with me, I… I am so relieved the bond is gone with Yennefer. I don't know how Ciri did it, she probably doesn't know either, but I am so glad." Geralt said and Coen grinned so wide it looked like it hurt. 

"See? I told you he turned into a sap over the last three days." Coen said out loud and Geralt looked over at him with a pinched brow that rose in surprise as Coen shifted to the side and bright cornflower blue's stared at him.

"Jaskier?" Geralt's voice was quiet and the dragon stretched out like a cat, yawning so wide his tongue curled against his lower jaw. 

"Coen ruined my enjoyment." Jaskier said, playfully glaring at the Griffin who shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Geralt asked, looking between the two of them.

"He's been awake for a while. He didn't want to disturb you." Coen said helpfully and Geralt gawked at Jaskier who only shrugged his shoulder. 

"How… How do you feel?" Geralt asked, still reeling, and Jaskier wiggled his body out as if to do inventory. 

"All good, well-rested, shoulder is still sore, though much less then it had." He said and Geralt let out a breath he didn't know he was holding.

"Good… Good." Geralt looked to the side, fiddling with the doublet in his hands, and Coen smirked.

"I hear Geralt has a bunch planned for you, dear dragon." Coen said and Geralt's head snapped towards him.

"Oh, does he now?" Jaskier's head tilted to the side, looking over at Geralt and the Witcher rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"I… Y-yes. I wanted to show you… Prove to you… M-my feelings, and… Everything. S-so I worked with Eskel and he helped me plan out what I wished to do, to prove." Geralt mumbled near the end and Jaskier laughed softly.

"I look forward to your efforts, Witcher." Jaskier said and Geralt smiled lightly. The door suddenly burst open, making Jaskier flail about while both Witcher's jumped to their feet, and a blur of ashen hair ran past them.

"Dad~!!" Ciri tackled Jaskier on the bed, causing both of them to roll and Jaskier laughed as Ciri had managed to roll them off the mattress.

"Hello to you too, my darling cub!" Jaskier said on a laugh and Ciri beamed. 

"I've missed you!" She chirped happily and hugged his small body to her chest, Coen and Geralt watching, humored, as the little dragon flailed about.

"What did I tell you about running off in the middle of a lesion, cub?!" Vesemir's voice boomed from the door and everyone froze, looking over at him, and Ciri just smiled widely.

"Worth it! Dad's awake!" Ciri said and Lambert, who was now standing next to Vesemir, started laughing. 

"Busted, cub!" Lambert said and Jaskier laughed when Ciri stuck her tongue out at him but clung to the dragon tighter. 

"Come on, cub. I know you are happy he's awake, but he needs to take it slow, and _you_ need to keep training." Vesemir said and Ciri pouted with a huff but smiled as she kissed Jaskier on the head and set him back on the bed.

"I'll see you later, dad!" Ciri cheered as she ran out of the room, Vesemir shaking his head while smiling fondly after the girl, both he and Lambert waving into the room before following after the hyper child. 

"We blame you, by the way." Coen said and Jaskier jumped.

"For what?" He asked cautiously.

"For that." Coen pointed at the empty door. "She calls you 'dad', says you helped raised her, and she has so much damn energy I'm amazed any of us can keep up." Geralt laughed from his seat and Jaskier just smiled.

"Hey, she's just that awesome of a kid. Now shoo, you're ruining my beauty sleep." Coen snorted a laugh as Jaskier used a paw to flick Coen in the direction of the door, the Griffin smiling wide and shaking his head. 

"Good luck, wolf." Coen called back as he left, Geralt grunting in response before going back to his stitching. Jaskier settled himself back on the bed, watching Geralt work, his head lolling to the side.

"What are you working on?" Jaskier asked and Geralt smiled shyly.

"It's… I know you like flowers, and Lambert found this at the bottom of one of his trunks, so I'm… Stitching…" Geralt said and Jaskier laughed softly.

"Aww, are you putting flowers of a new shirt for me?" Jaskier teased but when Geralt only blushed in response, Jaskier's head shot up. "Holy shit, you are!" Jaskier giggled with glee and Geralt rolled his eyes.

"I can sto--"

"Don't you dare!" Jaskier cut Geralt off before he could finish, a small smile appearing on the Witcher's lips as he looked at Jaskier.

"Sleep." Geralt watched as Jaskier settled back down, nuzzling himself into the blankets, the dragon's eyes drooping as he watched Geralt return to his stitching. Geralt smiled, glancing at the bed every now and then to see Jaskier had fallen asleep once again and focused on finishing the doublet for him. 

His first gift to the dragon.


	9. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The sorceress crept over to the bed, staring down at the little dragon. It was small, Yennefer assumed it was an infant. She wondered how a dragon even got here, but considering how the last experience with a dragon went, she didn't really care. Yennefer reached out to grab the dragon around its neck but suddenly froze as loud footsteps came down the hall, they paused in front of the door and shuffled a bit before continuing on and Yennefer moved quickly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *drops*

The moment Yennefer opened her eyes, she knew something was off but couldn't quite put her finger on it. Slowly sitting up in the bed, she noticed that it wasn't _her_ bed and immediately looked around the room, some various bits and bobs identified this as a room in Kaer Mohren but not Geralt's. Her eyes darted towards the bookshelves lining the far wall and she made a noise, Eskel's then, but why is she in Eskel's room and not her own, at the very least she thought she would wake in Geralt's.

She slowly stood up from the bed, testing her legs, and took a couple of cautious steps. Oh good, her legs were working fine, that means she's been out for no more than a week, tops. Walking across the room, Yennefer opened the door and went to her own quarters to figure out why the hell she wasn't there. 

Climbing the stairs to the tower, Yennefer stared at the white coating the railing near the top and made a curious noise as she pressed her fingers against, snapping her bare fingers back when she touched the cold snow. Yennefer quickly scaled the rest of the steps and a surprised gasp left her as she stared at the sky, everything in the room coated in a thin layer of snow and the skeleton of a new roof was in place over top. 

The sorceress felt rage bubble inside of her as she looked about the room, almost all of her clothes would be _ruined_ , she would have to look closer at her instruments and ingredients to see if anything could be salvaged. Yennefer let out a growl of frustration and quickly spun about and marched down the steps, she doesn't know what happened, she doesn't care, Geralt is going to get a damn earful for this. 

She abruptly stopped, her eyes growing wide. Geralt. Was Geralt here? Why couldn't she feel him, sense him? What on earth happened while she was asleep?!

Continuing down the halls, Yennefer came to an abrupt halt at one of the doors. Peeking inside, Yennefer sucked in a breath and stared at the small golden dragon sleeping in the middle of a large bed, the sorceress looking from side to side down both ways of the hall before stepping inside and closing the door behind her. Despite what was said at the mountain top, Yennefer would never stop trying to get what she so desperately wanted.

The sorceress crept over to the bed, staring down at the little dragon. It was small, Yennefer assumed it was an infant. She wondered how a dragon even got here, but considering how the last experience with a dragon went, she didn't really care. Yennefer reached out to grab the dragon around its neck but suddenly froze as loud footsteps came down the hall, they paused in front of the door and shuffled a bit before continuing on and Yennefer moved quickly.

Her hands darted out, one around the creature's neck while the other clamped down on its muzzle to keep it from making noise. Blue eyes snapped open in terror and the dragon began floundering, kicking its legs while wings flapped around and Yennefer squeezed her grip around its neck, tighter and tighter, the dragon's flailing getting slower and slower till it stopped altogether. 

~~~~

Geralt walked down the halls to Coen's room, wanting to check on Jaskier but when he found the door closed he paused. Perhaps the bard was finally able to change back? Wanted some privacy? Geralt hovered about the door for only a second longer before walking further down, deciding to finally check on Yennefer instead of having his brothers tell him about it. 

When he got to Eskel's room, his brow furrowed at seeing the door slightly open and pushed it wide. He looked at the bed, no Yennefer, he quickly spun around and went to the tower, her perfume of lilac and gooseberry was strong there. He looked at the snow on the stairs, seeing her tracks turn around and go back down the stairs so he follows, the snow from the stairs clinging to her shoes and he was surprised he never noticed them before, so focused on wanting to see Jaskier. Geralt froze when the tracks stopped in front of Coen's room then _turn_ , Geralt's heart seized in his chest and he flung the door open just in time to see Jaskier's body give one last weak flail.

"Yennefer!" Geralt roared, throwing his hand out and casting Aard, knocking the surprised sorceress off her feet and into the nearest wall. Geralt rushed to Jaskier, pulling his small body into his arms and cradled him.

"C'mon, Jask. C'mon." Geralt mumbled, rubbing his hand across Jaskier's neck, trying to coax him to breath again, he turned murderous eyes on Yennefer when the woman groaned and stumbled to her feet.

"What the hell, Geralt!?" She yelled but froze at the look in his eye as he held the dragon. He's never looked at her like that, never with the same look that he would a monster he was about to kill. 

"What the ever-loving fuck is--" Coen yelled as he came into the room but stopped talking immediately as he took in the scene, he quickly went to Geralt and gently coaxed the dragon from his arms and began checking him over. "What happened?!" He demanded.

"I came to check on Jaskier… But the door was closed." Geralt growled. "I thought he was wanting privacy, so I went to check on Yennefer's status." The white-haired Witcher stood and began pacing the room, his eyes never leaving the sorceress. "She wasn't in Eskel's room when I arrived, checked the tower, saw her footprints. The snow clung stubbornly to her feet, leading me back here… Saw her chocking him when I opened the door." Geralt snarled the last part, Yennefer's eyes going wide as she looked at Geralt.

"Jaskier?! You are daft! It's a fucking dragon, a small one! I can test my research if I can just get my hands on his hea--" Geralt snarled, loudly, cutting Yennefer off from finishing that sentence. 

"Jaskier is a dragon. Just like Borch is." Geralt growled at her, glaring, his attention snapping away only when he heard a hard intake of breath and sputtering. Geralt quickly spun around and rushed to Jaskier, the dragon clawing away from Coen who was looming over him and across the bed. Geralt quickly picked him up, holding him close, and Jaskier pressed his whole body against him as a low whimpering noise sounded in his throat.

The dragons whole body was trembling and Geralt growled as he stared at Yennefer, the sorceress staring at him in shock. Coen stood at Geralt's side, glaring at the woman.

"His room is all set, we can take him there." Geralt nods, marching out of the room.

"G-Geralt…? Geralt wait!" Yennefer yelled and went after them. "You can't possibly make me believe that that… _Thing_ is your stupid fucking bard!" She said and Geralt rounded, snarling dangerously in her face and she froze in place.

"The _witch_ is awake!" Geralt called through the halls, making Yennefer's heart stop beating in her chest. Did he just call her a Witch? He's never called her that before, never. 

"What has gotten into you?!" Yennefer yelled, and Coen shoved her back while Geralt turned into another room. "Geralt!" Yennefer yelled, trying to push past Coen.

"Think about it, witch." Coen growled at her and Yennefer's wide-eyed snapped to him.

"He's treating you differently. Why do you think that is?" He said coyly and Yennefer chewed her lower lip, staring into the room and watched as Geralt set the dragon down on the bed, whispering quietly to it and running his hands along its body, _smiling_ at it, even put a kiss on the end of the thing's snout!

"The bond…" Yennefer started.

"Is gone." Coen and the sorceress looked over to see the other Witcher's now in the hall. Yennefer's brow pinched.

"Your bond with Geralt is broken, Yennefer." Vesemir said, finally releasing his grip on a feral looking child who ran past Yennefer, kicking her hard in the shin, and wiggled past Coen into the room. Yennefer yelled in frustration, not only at being _kicked_ , but not being able to use her chaos properly yet despite so much rest. She wanted to know what the hell is going on!

She looked back in the room, watching as the young girl smacked Geralt's shoulder and hissed at him before taking the dragon and hugging it close to her. Yennefer's eyes widening as the dragon's cat size shifted and grew, now the size of a typical dog, and draped across both the girl and Geralt's laps.

"Come, Yennefer." Her eyes snapped back to Vesemir. "We have much to fill you in on." Vesemir opened and arm, motioning back down the hall where they came from, and Yennefer growled quietly as Coen closed the door, blocking her view of Geralt, and gave her a none too gentle shove towards Vesemir.


	10. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You seriously expect me to believe this tale?" Yennefer asked, looking up at the Witcher's sitting across from her, Lambert shrugs.
> 
> "Believe it or not, that's not our fault." He said casually, Eskel nodding in agreement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *squeee*

Yennefer didn't quite know what to do with the information she had been given, she sat at one of the tables in the main hall and stared at her hands resting on top of it, her brow pinched.

"You seriously expect me to believe this tale?" Yennefer asked, looking up at the Witcher's sitting across from her, Lambert shrugs.

"Believe it or not, that's not our fault." He said casually, Eskel nodding in agreement. 

"Believe what you will, Yennefer. We have no reason to lie to you about any of this." Vesemir said, arms folded across his chest. Everyone's attention turned towards the door when it opened, Ciri stomping through and walked over to Eskel and climbed into his lap.

"Everything alright, cub?" Eskel asks but when she doesn't say anything and looks at the door everyone stares. Coen sucks in a breath as they watch Geralt come into the room, Jaskier in his arms. A human Jaskier.

Yennefer's eyes grew wide at the sight. Gold scales decorated the bard's cheekbones and framed his eyes while his eyes were brighter, pupils slit. He was dressed in a simple pale tan robe, the low collar making it easy to see the fading webbed veins that still decorated his chest, the beginning of a bruise decorating his neck.

"Jaskier believed she wouldn't believe it without seeing it." Geralt growled unhappily, walking across the room and keeping Jaskier in his arms, his eyes narrowing on Yennefer as the woman kept _staring_ at Jaskier. 

"He'd be right." Vesemir says. "She doesn't believe a word of it." Jaskier scoffs, rolling his eyes.

"Of course she doesn’t." Jaskier supplied and leaned against Geralt's chest, closing his eyes. 

"Please don't push yourself, Jaskier. You don't need to prove anything to her." Geralt said softly, brushing hair back from Jaskier's face but the bad shakes his head and smiles tightly, keeping his eyes closed. 

"I know I don't, but I sort of want to see her face once she's proven wrong." Jaskier says and opens his eyes to look at the woman in question, her eyes narrow on him as her face tints red with annoyance. 

"Alright." Geralt said and loosened his grip on Jaskier just enough for the bard to shift in his lap before completely transforming. The human fluidly changing to a dragon the size of a house cat again and Yennefer's mouth fell open, her eyes widening as Jaskier moved back to Geralt having hopped onto the table in his transformation and the Witcher pulled the small dragon against his chest. The Witcher helped keep him steady as Jaskier crawled up his chest and moved around his shoulders, draping himself across them as he yawned loudly and stretched. 

"You ripped the roof off my room!" Yennefer yelled and a large toothy grin appeared on the little dragon's face.

"Yes, yes I did." Was all he said before curling as close as he could get to Geralt and snuggled in, closing his eyes. Geralt chuckled and reached up to pet Jaskier's head while Ciri glared at him, less intense than before but definitely still keeping an eye on him. Yennefer was still in shock, staring at all of the Witchers around her.

"And you're all just… Okay with this? Having a monster in your home?" She asked and Ciri scoffed, drawing Yennefer's attention.

"Dad isn't a monster, he raised me." Yennefer's brow lifted some and stared at the young girl. "My dad is amazing! I'll stab you if you call him a monster again." She stated seriously, making Yennefer laugh quietly.

"Oh? And who exactly are you?" Yennefer asked, lacing her fingers together and resting her chin on her hands.

"Cirilla, Lion cub of Cintra." Lambert supplied, and Yennefer's mouth dropped open.

"Your Child Surprise?" She looked at Geralt and the Witcher nodded slowly. "Well, my dear girl, when I said a monster, I was not talking about Geralt." Yennefer continued and Ciri frowned, her whole face scrunching up.

"He's not my dad. He is." Ciri pointed to the dragon around Geralt's neck and Yennefer's brow lifted.

"I… I fail to see how the _bard_ is your father." Yennefer said and Jaskier huffed, rolling his eyes, and Ciri mirrors the action.

"Geralt never came back for me, never claimed me. Jaskier stayed with me every winter! He helped raise me the months before Cintra was attacked. He's my dad, without him, I would not be here." Ciri said matter of factly and Jaskier smiled to himself.

"I see." Yennefer gave Jaskier an appraising look, the dragon snuggling closer to Geralt as a quiet noise came from the little dragon as Geralt gently ran his fingers against his neck.

"Take Jaskier back to bed, Geralt. His own bed." Vesemir said, giving Yennefer a stern look. "He no longer needs to stay in Coen's room." Geralt nodded and stood, looking at Ciri in silent question if she was coming and the girl jumped up, hugging Eskel, and running up next to the white-haired Witcher before walking with him and Jaskier to the rooms. 

Geralt could care less what else went on in the main hall, his mind focused on getting Jaskier comfortable once again.

"Ciri," Geralt called and the girl looked up at him. "I… I know you don't trust me yet, but… Do you mind if I stayed in the room with Jaskier, alone, for tonight?" Geralt looked at her, smiling nervously, and Jaskier peeks up at him with a small head tilt. Ciri looked at her dad then at Geralt, frowning still but gave it some thought, staring for a long time before finally nodding. 

"Okay, but don't do anything stupid! I will know!" Ciri said and Geralt laughed to himself.

"I promise." Geralt said and Ciri nodded, motioning him closer and kissed Jaskier on the head when Geralt dipped down far enough. 

"Goodnight, darling pup." Jaskier said and Ciri smiled widely and spun around, bounding to her room and slipped inside. She had settled into her room a day ago, Jaskier staying in Coen's room because of how comfortable he was there for the time being. Geralt smiled and turned into Jaskier's room, peeling the dragon off his neck and settling him on the mattress.

"Wait there." Geralt said and moved across the room. Jaskier's head tilted as he watched Geralt move about the room, starting a fire, getting a bowl for water which he put by the bed then walked off again and Jaskier's eyes widened as Geralt opened a closet and came back with the fluffiest looking fur Jaskier had ever seen. 

Geralt smiled as he walked over and draped the fur across the mattress, not letting it settle perfectly and instead of having it bunch in places. He watched as Jaskier immediately dove into it, moving it about and wiggling around to make it comfortable, Geralt smiled and went back to the closet and pulled out two other furs and threw them on the bed, making Jaskier squeak. 

"Geralt." Jaskier whined and Geralt just smiled as he watched the dragons head pop up out of the fur. "This one feels… Fresher?" Jaskier's head tilted and Geralt looked to the side as he rubbed the back of his neck. 

"That one… I tanned it, not long ago. I felt I should keep it, you know…" Jaskier smiled at Geralt, playfully rolling his eyes.

"Instinctual need to keep it ready and clean?" Jaskier asked and Geralt nodded some, still looking off to the side. "Heh, you'll get used to those urges." Jaskier said and resumed his fiddling, pushing things this way and that while incorporating the blanket from the bed. When he was finally done, he gave a triumphant nod and smiled as he looked back at Geralt, a cute clicking noise coming from his throat and Geralt smiled as he walked over and carefully climbed in, making sure not to disturb anything.

"Better?" Geralt asked and Jaskier nodded as he crawled over, growing in size a little bit to fit more in the nest and curl around Geralt properly. The Witcher smiled, gently tracing his fingers across Jaskier's forehead and nose. 

"Geralt?" Jaskier spoke eventually, the Witcher grunted, continuing to pet Jaskier's nose. "Don't… Don't let her hurt me." Jaskier said, his voice almost a whisper, and Geralt frowned hard as he looked down at Jaskier. The dragon had tears in his eyes and Geralt wrapped his arms around his head and pulled him close. 

"Never again, Jask." Geralt whispered and Jaskier pushed himself as close as he could to the Witcher. 

Jaskier fell asleep like that, curled in close to his Witcher while Geralt wiped away the tears that fell even in his sleep. Geralt watched him through the night, each of the other Witcher's stopping by to check on them before retiring to their own rooms. Eskel took over Geralt's room for the night, Yennefer locking herself in the scarred Witcher's room, and Geralt spent his evening just watching Jaskier sleep, the webbed veins on his chest fading more. 

Geralt fell asleep shortly after Vesemir had checked in on them, holding Jaskier close. His bard, his dragon, his mate. He will kill Yennefer if she tries anything more.


	11. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Yennefer…" Jaskier started, his eyes widening. "Are you… Jealous?" He asked and the woman took a shocked step back, anger fleeing her face and replaced with embarrassment and shame before returning to completely outraged. She screamed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apparently... I like beating on Jaskier in this fic...

It took a week before Jaskier could shift back into his human shape without putting too much strain on himself, the burse around his neck now faded to an ugly yellow color while he was now able to use his shoulder better. The entire week, Yennefer watched as Geralt doted on the dragon, pampering him with the better cuts of meat at lunch and dinner, _bathing_ and grooming whenever they were in the hot springs, to top it all off he kept finding _gifts_ for the dragon. 

Now, Yennefer never considered herself a jealous woman, the Witcher could do as he liked. Anger for him and the now broken bond still simmering in her breast. But the more she watched Geralt dote on the bard, the more she watched him _smile_ , her anger turned into a bright green flame of jealous envy.

The Witcher's took their sweet time fixing the roof of her room, saying that other more important places needed attention first, this only seemed to fuel the pit in Yennefer's gut, watching as every night Geralt and Jaskier had slipped away with the young princess and either all piled into one bed or Geralt curled around Jaskier protectively. 

It all came to a head one evening two weeks after Jaskier had been able to stay human for long periods of time, his strength returning quickly now, after a hard day of training, doing repairs, and preparing more for the colder months coming. All the Witcher's were lounging in front of the fireplace in the main hall, Eskel and Lambert spread out on the rug while Jaskier cuddled with Ciri in a large chair that looked like it could swallow them, Vesemir in his own seat reading a book while Yennefer simply watched them all from her own seat in a smaller chair.

Geralt came from the kitchen, a mug of warm honey wine in hand, Geralt gave the mug to Jaskier and laid his lips against the bard's forehead, making Ciri gag jokingly. Her attitude towards Geralt greatly improved since when she first arrived, still wary of the Witcher, but more accepting after seeing how hard he was working with his courting.

"Hm, he never got me anything to drink." Yennefer stated lazily, inspecting the ends of her hair. Geralt's gaze landing on her and narrowing while Jaskier rolled his eyes.

"You are perfectly capable of getting your own drink, Yennefer." Geralt growled. 

"Technically not true, either. He did bring you apple juice once, in the midst of an orgy." Jaskier added helpfully, Ciri's head tilting as she looked up at her dad with a curious look which he playfully shook his head too with an expression that read as 'I'll tell you later' and Ciri shrugged, snuggling back in.

"Ah, yes. Fond memories that." Yennefer said, a coy smile spreading across her lips. "I remember how you squeaked when I threatened to just your cock off." She added and Jaskier groaned, putting his mug down quickly and covering Ciri's ears.

"Must you!?" Jaskier hissed while the Witcher's turned sour expressions onto the sorceress. 

"What? I'm simply speaking the truth, or do you not to that anymore? Since you are obviously hiding things still." Yennefer said, narrowing her gaze at Jaskier. 

"What do you think I'm hiding, exactly? Other then my dragon heritage, I have been painfully transparent." Jaskier growled and Geralt was now openly glaring at Yennefer. 

"Oh? If that is true, then perhaps you can explain that" Yennefer motioned to Geralt. "He has been so doting on you it's sickening. You're a dragon, so you claim, and yet he's treating you as if you will break with the smallest of breezes." She sneered and Jaskier growled. 

"So he claims? Excuse me, Yennefer, but you did see him shift shapes in front of you right? Or were you still so weak that you think you hallucinated?" Eskel asked and Yennefer scoffed.

"Many things could come into factor, illusions, shapeshifters, the possibilities are endless. What is not explained, is the change in Geralt." Yennefer said, glaring at Jaskier now. "So I ask again, what are you keeping secret?" Jaskier threw his hands in the air, no longer worried about keeping Ciri's ears covered, Geralt casting a curious gaze at him. Apparently he wants to know as well, aside from the courting, Geralt has felt an incredible urge to pamper and spoil the dragon, feelings he's never had before.

"If you are implying I've done something to him, then you can just get off your high horse and thinking I've bewitched him or some shit." Jaskier crossed his arms over his chest. "Geralt is my mate, destined mate, and now that your bond with him is broken his inner _real_ desires and instincts are coming through." Jaskier looked at Geralt. "I will give that they are a little stronger than a typically destined mate, but that is only because they were suppressed by his wish." Jaskier looked back at Yennefer, frowning hard, and the woman's face tinted red with anger.

"Bull shit! It's bull shit! There is no way that _he_ would dote on anyone!" Yennefer stood angrily, pointing at Geralt as she glared at Jaskier, the bard's brow lifting.

"Yennefer…" Jaskier started, his eyes widening. "Are you… Jealous?" He asked and the woman took a shocked step back, anger fleeing her face and replaced with embarrassment and shame before returning to completely outraged. She screamed. 

"Fine! I'll prove you're not a fucking dragon, then you can stop lying to everyone!" Jaskier's eyes widened at her. "One simple ancient spell and it will be done!" Yennefer yelled and Jaskier was suddenly on his feet, eyes wide with fear. The Witcher's started to climb to their feet, watching Yennefer.

"Yennefer, don't. Seriously, you don't know what you're playing with!" Jaskier yelled and quickly tried getting out of line from the woman as she started speaking in elder. He was almost to the door when Yennefer flicked her hand out, knocking the approaching Witcher's away from her and also casting her spell at Jaskier and the bard was knocked over by an invisible force that sent him spiraling to the ground.

"Jaskier!" Geralt ran to him, Ciri close behind, and pulled the bard into his lap. Jaskier's eyes were closed, but he was breathing. "What the fuck, Yen!?" Geralt yelled but the woman looked awfully proud of herself.

"See? Nothing. He lied!" Yennefer said proudly as if she'd done them a favor. Geralt looked back at Jaskier's face, brushing the bard's hair back, he wouldn't listen to Yennefer, he knows what he saw, what he feels. Jaskier's eyes slowly opened then and Geralt smiled, cupping his cheek while Ciri let out a sigh of relief.

"Jask." Geralt whispered his name but the bard's eyes flew open, glowing with magic, pupils slit, and his hand shot out, gripping Geralt's throat tightly. The Witcher choked, grabbing onto the hand around his neck and Jaskier stood, bringing the Witcher with him and holding him easily off the ground. Ciri screamed just as Coen grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of Jaskier's reach when he made to grab for her, the Griffin cursing loudly.

"Damnit!" He looked at Yennefer, the woman's eyes were wide as saucers. "Remove the spell, you witch!" Coen yelled but Yennefer shook her head.

"I… I can't! I only read how to cast it!" She looked panicked, Lambert and Eskel running to Geralt and trying to get Jaskier to let go. It wasn't until Lambert pulled a dagger from his boot and cut at Jaskier's arm did the dragon finally let go, dropping Geralt to the ground and letting him roll away wheezing for air. 

Jaskier stared at his bleeding arm, flexing his fingers, and the skin knitted itself back together quickly. Everyone stared as large gold wings suddenly sprouted from his back and Jaskier launched himself at Yennefer, nails elongating to sharp talons and Yennefer cried out as he slashed at her arm before managing to knock him away with her magic. 

Coen cursed loudly, picked up Ciri, and ran with her to his room. He grabbed his silver blade and frowned when Ciri tried to protest.

"He's not himself! It's not his fault!" Ciri cried and Coen agreed with her, but he still needed to be dealt with. Coen then locked Ciri in his room, the girl banging hard against the door, yelling to be let out. When Coen returned to the main hall, Vesemir was a heap on the floor while Eskel and Lambert where sprawled about unconscious in the middle of table splinters while Yennefer was holding up a shielding spell around herself and Geralt as Jaskier, now a full dragon and about the size of a small house, tried to drown them with fire. 

"Jaskier!" Coen yelled and the fire stopped as Jaskier looked in his direction. The dragon gave him an appraising look, eyes landing on the sword in the Witcher's hand.

"Coen," Jaskier's voice sounded in the Witcher's head, it sounded strained, forced. "Do it." Coen took a stunned step back, staring wide-eyed at him. "Do it! Before I kill them, Please!" 

Coen could see the tears in the dragon's eyes, he was aware. He was aware but couldn't control himself. Coen gripped the hilt of his sword tightly and shut his eyes, taking a few even breaths before looking back at Jaskier who was now approaching him. 

"Coen, don't!" Geralt yelled but the Griffin ignored him in favor of jumping to the side of a maw full of razor-sharp teeth and bringing his blade down on the dragon's head. The blade barely did anything, but it was enough to make the dragon sputter and need to shake its head. Coen dashed around and hesitated, only for a second, before bringing his blade around and cutting the joint of the dragons back legs making it cry out in pain.

Coen was vagally aware of Geralt's yelling, the Griffin focusing hard on the task at hand. Jaskier limped and snapped his jaws at Coen, knocking the Witcher back with his tail, golden wings arching high and creating gusts of wind that threw Coen's balance off. Hours of dancing around each other, Yennefer holding Geralt back with one of her spells, Coen was panting harshly while Jaskier lay limp on the ground, various cuts and open wounds covering his body and Geralt let out a wounded noise as he stared at Jaskier. 

"I'm sorry." Coen whispered, falling to his knees by Jaskier's head and positioned the blade the same way under his chin the day that Jaskier had first arrived, frowning and steeled himself. Just as the tip pierced the soft scale, a very loud and powerful scream knocked Coen onto his ass and away a couple of feet, Ciri running into the room and kneeling by her dad's head.

"No!" She screamed, hugging Jaskier's head close to her. The dragon looked panicked, trying to kick, to claw, its body lashing out even though it was too weak to move properly. Ciri was whispering quietly, staring into the dragon's eye and rubbing her hands along its jaw and forehead. Eskel and Lambert started to shift and groan while Vesemir rolled onto his hands and knees and shook his head, all of them looking over to see Ciri sitting next to Jaskier and just whispering to him. 

Geralt frowned and walked over slowly, ignoring Coen, and knelt next to Ciri. His brow pinched, she was singing to him, low and calm despite the tears in her eyes, the glow of Jaskier's eyes dimming till it was nonexistent and Geralt cautiously laid a hand against his jaw and smiled when tired eyes turned toward him.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry, so sorry." Jaskier voice rang out for everyone to hear, broken with a sob, and tears started running down his face.

"Shh, it's ok, Jask. It wasn't your fault." Geralt whispered, he looked at Coen. "How much did you hurt him?" He asked and Coen shook his head.

"Not… super bad, enough to cripple. He won't need healing magic if that's what you're asking. The blade up his jaw would have ended him, but he can heal from everything else." Coen looked over to Yennefer and Geralt growled at her.

"Leave, Yen." Geralt snarled.

"Geralt… I-I didn't mean to--!" Yennefer tried but the wolf quickly shot up and stormed over to her, grabbing her arm harshly and pulled her none too gently towards the door.

"LEAVE!" Geralt roared. "You have done enough!" Geralt threw Yennefer into the snow falling outside and the sorceress yelped.

"You will you have to train the girl!? I saw what she did to Coen!" Yennefer yelled and Geralt growled.

"Jaskier will be more than capable of helping her till we can get word to Triss. Now, leave. I will not ask again." Geralt snarled and Yennefer only just then noticed that Geralt had Coen's silver blade in his other hand. The sorceress gasped and quickly opened a portal and ran for it. Geralt watched as the portal closed staying for a few moments longer to make sure Yennefer was well and truly gone before going back inside.

He gave Coen his blade back and went to Jaskier, pulling his head into his lap while Ciri went to Vesemir and they went about cleaning his wounds. Geralt wiping away the tears from Jaskier's eyes.

"I'm sorry. Sorry, sorry, so sorry." Jaskier kept repeating it over and over, shutting his eyes tightly so he didn't see the bruise on Geralt's neck, or the broken skin across Eskel's nose or Lambert's black eye, the cut on Vesemir's forehead that went into his hair and dyed the old white hair red. Jaskier's body trembled as Vesemir and Ciri worked on cleaning his wounds, joined by the other wolves and Coen, Geralt whispering quietly to him. 

"It's not your fault, Jask. It's not your fault." Geralt kept whispering to him. Jaskier eventually fell unconscious, completely exhausted from the spell, and Coen sat next to Geralt.

"The spell sends them into a frenzy, as you saw," Coen said, frowning as he looked at Jaskier's face. "He's completely aware but unable to control what his body does, we are lucky it was an inexperienced mage casting the spell. With Yennefer's lack of knowledge on these things, it wasn't as bad as it could have been." Coen sighed. "Geralt, if anyone with proper knowledge cast that spell, I would have…" Coen's voice trailed off, biting his cheek and shutting his eyes. Geralt frowned slightly, gently placing a hand on Coen's shoulder. 

It was a short time that Jaskier had been at the keep, yet everyone was enamored by the dragon, especially Vesemir, the old wolf finally able to talk about the "good old days" with someone. Geralt didn't know how old Jaskier was, he was almost scared to ask. 

Geralt held Jaskier's head in his lap, gently rubbing his hands across the scales while Coen pressed his forehead to Jaskier's neck and just sat there, everyone else making sure his wounds were cleaned. Getting him back from this… Geralt would stay by Jaskier through all of it.


	12. .

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Could you put some pants on, Geralt? No one needs to see that."

Geralt was worried about Jaskeir, the bard had holed himself up in his room and barely did anything. As soon as his wound were cleaned he had managed to shift into a smaller shape and fled instantly, Ciri and Geralt both following the trail of blood he left to his room and frowned when they found him curled up in the farthest corner of the room, away from the soft blankets, away from the comfort the Witcher's had given him. He didn't deserve it. 

It took hours of Geralt and Ciri coaxing him to be on the bed, even longer to get him to curl up under the furs. He just kept muttering "sorry's", burying his face under his wings and hiding away from Geralt and Ciri.

He attacked them, spell or no spell, he attacked his mates family. Were they normal humans he could have killed them… Scratch that, he still could have killed them had he not been able to resist enough. His body trembled at the thought of what almost happened and he curled in on himself, even more, wounded whimpers leaving him, and Geralt gently laid a hand on his back and gently stroked along his neck, trying to soothe him.

Jaskier flinched at the touch, whining even more, and Geralt just kept petting him while Ciri climbed into the bed and pulled Jaskier into her lap and held onto him while leaving enough room for Geralt to pet. The dragon reluctantly melted into their touches, still shaking some, and the three of them stayed like that for the night, the pair doing everything they could think of to help Jaskier calm. 

The next morning was worse. Jaskier had woken up screaming, or what was better described as screeching, his limbs flailing about as he screamed from "all the blood". Geralt and quickly picked the dragon up and wrapped him tightly in his arms, holding him tight to minimize the flailing and Jaskier stared blankly once he finally calmed enough to stop thrashing about but kept mumbling about "all the blood". Geralt and Ciri shared a look and the Witcher quickly moved, pushing past his brothers, who had come out of their rooms at the screeching and headed down to the hot springs.

Geralt quickly grabbed Jaskier's favorite soaps and the brush, shedding clothes as he walked and carefully plunked himself and Jaskier into the dragon's favored pool. Jaskier kept mumbling about "blood" so Geralt took soap and brush in hand and began to clean the dragon. Jaskier remained pressed to Geralt throughout the bathing and after, the Witcher simply holding the dragon tightly and letting him soak in the hot waters. 

Jaskier's shaking subsided for a time, then the one by one the other Witcher's slowly came into the hot springs to check on the dragon and his shaking intensified again. The "sorry's" beginning again and Geralt just held him, unsure what to do.

"Jaskier," Vesemir's voice made the dragon flinch so hard that Geralt was worried he actually hurt himself. "It wasn't your fault, Jaskier." The old wolf said, kneeling behind Geralt in the pool so he could see Jaskier's face on his shoulder.

"Yeah, I mean, it's been a while since I was thrown around _that_ much." Lambert chimed in but Jaskier just tucked his head into Geralt's neck and Lambert suddenly yelped from getting smacked over the head by Eskel.

"C'mon Jaskier, you would have attacked anyone if they threatened Ciri, no?" Eskel said gently and knelt next to Vesemir but Jaskier shook his head hard and tried to his against Geralt even more.

"That's different…" Jaskier said weakly, Geralt's fingers gently tracing along his spine. "S-she's my cub… M-my family." Jaskier pressed harder. "L-liked Geralt… A-and you guys… A-and I w-was forced to, to…" Jaskier's voice trailed off and Geralt frowned, hugging him tighter and gently pressed his lips against Jaskier's shoulder as the dragon made small hiccupping noises and trembled in the Witcher's hold. 

Vesemir frowned and glanced at Eskel while Lambert rubbed the back of his neck and looked slightly uncomfortable. Geralt growled quietly.

"If she ever sets foot here again… I'm killing her myself." The Witcher growled and Jaskier's head shot up, staring at Geralt like he'd grown another head.

"W-what…?" Jaskier squeaks.

"If Yennefer ever comes back here, where you are meant to be safe, I will kill her myself." Geralt said again, staring at Jaskier.

"B-but… S-she was your partner for s-so long... Y-you l-l-lo-"

"Loved her?" Geralt asked and Jaskier nodded while Geralt let out a heavy sigh. "No, Jask, I never loved her. Not like I thought I did. She was a terrible distraction of my own ill doings to myself and removed me from you. I love you, always just you." Jaskier made a quiet little murring noise and pressed his head against Geralt's neck again, pressing hard against the Witcher as he slowly rose from the bath and wrapped the dragon up in a towel offered by Eskel. 

"We'll protect you, Jaskier." Lambert said, looking at the dragon with a small smile. "You're one of us now," Lambert smirked and Eskel draped himself across the young wolf's shoulders.

"You're stuck with us." Eskel grins. "And maybe if you want, when you feel better about it all, you can help us train." Jaskier squeaked and looked at Eskel, blowing a pillow of smoke at the Witcher and Geralt laughed as he rubbed Jaskier dry, forgetting about his own nudeness till Lambert rolled his eyes.

"Could you put some pants on, Geralt? No one needs to see _that_." He said and Geralt lifted Jaskier away from his chest just enough to look down at himself, the dragon bending his head down in mirroring the action before letting out a very loud trill and stuck his head in the towel wrapped around him. 

"Okay, maybe _one_ of us wants to see that." Eskel smirked and Jaskier continued to make little noises as he curled about the towel in Geralt's hold. The white-haired Witcher laughed and offered the dragon bundle to Vesemir who took it dutifully while Geralt stalked across the room to get dressed, Jaskier peeking his head out of the towel just enough to get a look at Geralt's behind and made a low noise while Vesemir chuckled softly.

"It's really okay, Jaskier." Jaskier curled back around to look up at the old wolf, looking worried. "I promise. It's like they said, you are one of us now, as is your cub, we will look out for you when you are unable to." Jaskier purred quietly at Vesemir's words and curled in close to the old wolf, closing his eyes.

"Speaking of," Lambert says as they start making their way across the room to where Geralt was now pulling on his shirt and pants. "How come you were able to heal yourself like nothing when, you know, but not now?" Lambert peeked at Jaskier, the dragon tiredly looking at him. 

"Being spelled… You forget about your current state." Jaskier frowned some. "A dragon in such a state will eventually end up killing itself with exhaustion or pushing too hard." Vesemir handed Jaskier, without the towel, back to Geralt and the dragon curled up around the Witcher's shoulders. Lambert nodding slowly with understanding. 

They made their way back to the main hall, Ciri and Coen waiting for them with the table made up with food. They all found their seats and fell into easy conversation, Ciri and Geralt passing little bits of food to Jaskier to eat so he didn't need to climb down from Geralt's shoulders. 

Their days passed much the same, Jaskier would still wake up screaming from a nightmare but never tell anyone what it was about, Geralt taking the dragon down to the springs for a scrub if it was particularly bad. Jaskier would help with repairs with Vesemir while the other Witcher's trained, settling for a size the same as Roach who was completely enamored with his dragon body. The mare constantly nudging or prancing about him until Jaskier gave in and walked, or ran, around the courtyard with her. 

Geralt watched them one afternoon when training had ended, smiling to himself as Roach put her front hooves on Jaskier's shoulders and the dragon flopped over onto his side like he died, playing dead till Roach started to get more distressed then popped up to poke her side with his nose. 

"He's good here." Geralt jumped at Vesemir's voice, looking towards his mentor.

"Yeah." Geralt looked back at the pair. "He is still hesitant with somethings, things he never was before." Vesemir hummed quietly at that, nodding.

"I suppose we have Yennefer to thank for that." He said and Geralt growled quietly. "Did you mean it? That if you find her here you'll kill her?" Vesemir looked at Geralt, the wolf nodding.

"Completely. She's gone too far, hurt him too much." Geralt said and Vesemir nodded, clapping the young wolf's shoulder. 

"He'll get there, pup. Give it time. Perhaps one day soon you can convince him to sing after dinner." Vesemir smirked and Geralt rolled his eyes, smiling at Vesemir as the old wolf turned to leave. His gaze turned back to Jaskier, nodding to himself. 

Jaskier singing one of these evenings is a wonderful idea.


End file.
